The Final Phase
by gm13lumos
Summary: A "reformed" Draco Malfoy is released from Azkaban to complete the final phase of his rehabilitation, job placement in the wizarding world. His talent for potion-making finds him working with Healer Hermione Granger. As Draco and Hermione delve into Hermione's research and a relationship sparks between them, they're unaware of a shadow lurking, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
1. Chapter 1

She was going to be late.

Shit, Hermione Granger thought as she flew through the door of her office, slamming it behind her. She had 2 minutes to get to the meeting and she wasn't dressed. With a wave of her wand Hermione darkened the only window in the room and quickly stripped off her robes and put on a dark red muggle dress. In the three years since the war ended wizards had taken to wearing muggle clothes more frequently, all part of Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt's four phase plan to help the wizarding world recover and become a more tolerant and accepting place. She grabbed a black blazer from the back of her chair and quickly slipped her arms in it. She pulled the black hair clip out of her hair, letting her brown curls cascade down her back. She took a thick manila folder from her desk, and snatched her purse from the coat hook by the door as she sprinted out.

"Healer Granger?" a voice behind her called.

"Shit, shit, shit," she muttered under her breath but turned around with a forced smile on her face. "Yes?"

"I have an idea for your project," the man began but Hermione put up her hand to stop her from speaking further.

"David," she said kindly, "I am very late for a very important meeting, it should be an hour, perhaps when I get back we can discuss the project."

Not waiting for a response she waved at David and quickly strode out of the wing. Damn her for agreeing to take on interns to help her with her research at St. Mungo's. While she loved teaching, they always had questions and they would come to ask them at the most inopportune moments. Hermione dashed to the lift and pressed the button for the top floor before looking at her watch. 3:02. She was officially late. When the lift reached its destination, she ran out of the lift and down the long hallway to the conference room where she knew Kingsley would be waiting for her. Checking her watch she rounded the corner and ran straight into a hard body. She grabbed the person's arm and steadied herself. She looked up and started to apologize but the words stuck in her throat. She looked up at the familiar face in shock. It had been a few years since the last time she'd seen him, just under three to be exact. The trial, she thought, after Harry had spoken on his behalf before the Wizengamot but even the testimony of the Boy Who Lived wasn't enough. He'd been sentenced to five years in Azkaban, she remembered, and led from the courtroom with a look a pure hatred in his silver eyes. That was the last time she'd seen Draco Malfoy. She stared at him now and those same eyes stared back at her.

Suddenly she was on the ground and Draco was looming above her.

"Don't touch me, Mudblood," he spat. "These dress robes are custom tailored and from the best dress robes shop in Paris. They're worth more than you'll ever be."

The word snapped her out of her spell. "What the hell are you doing here, Malfoy?" she replied, disgusted. "Shouldn't you be passing your days with your friends and the Dementors?"

Something flickered over his face for a split second before it returned to its icy cold stare. "They let me out," he told her. "Not that I owe someone like you an explanation."

"Yes I can see that," she replied as she picked herself up from the ground. In her heels she was still a good 4 inches shorter than him but she held his gaze. "I'd expect you'd be off somewhere torturing house elves or cozying up to your mother."

Another flicker crossed his face, this one though lasted longer. Dementors and his mother, Hermione thought, those are his triggers. How appropriate. Her thoughts were interrupted though by Malfoy speaking.

"Are you listening to me? You should listen when your superiors talk," he said snidely. "I was telling you they let me out for good behavior. I'm 'reformed'."

"Not bloody likely," came Ron's voice from behind Malfoy. Malfoy turned and stared at Ron before replying. "What a blood traitor thinks hardly matters."

Ron raised his fist and moved to hit Malfoy when Hermione stepped between them.

"Ronald, no," she said firmly. "You'll simply be giving him what he wants, a reaction."

"He's got one," Ron growled.

Hermione closed her hands over Ron's fist and shook her head. "Leave him, we're late for the meeting."

Ron looked over Hermione's head and glared at Malfoy before he released his fist and swung his arm around Hermione. "You're right," he said. "Come on in, we were waiting for you."

They walked into the room to find Kingsley Shacklebolt sitting at the head of a large rounded conference table. His dark skin seemed to stand out in stark contrast against the white walls. Since there was no one else in the room Hermione went up to him and embraced him.

"I'm so sorry for being late," she said. "I found the most fascinating book in the Archives and I completely lost track of time."

"It's quite alright, Hermione," Kingsley said with a smile. "We're actually waiting for two more people."

"We are?" Ron asked. "Minister you know I have to screen everyone you meet with, as the Auror appointed to protect you-"

"Mr. Weasley," Kingsley said interrupting him. "I assure you the two people we are meeting with have already been properly vetted."

Ron looked doubtful and was about to comment when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Kingsley said.

The door opened and Blaise Zabini walked through in black advocate robes, a black binder in his hand. He shut the door behind him and took a step toward Hermione with his hand outstretched as if to shake her hand.

"You think he's not a threat?" Ron shouted, shoving Hermione behind him. "Minister he's a bloody Slytherin and he was friends with all the Death Eaters."

"Mr. Weasley, that is enough," Kingsley said sternly. "You know full well Mr. Zabini and his family had no involvement with either side during the war. Stand down."

Ron look mutinous and seemed ready to reply when Hermione cut in. "Sit, Ron, Blaise works for the Wizengamot. He's fine."

"Fine," Ron muttered, missing that Hermione had used Blaise's first name, and moved to stand to the right of the Minister's chair. Blaise moved around to the opposite end of the table and sat down. Hermione took a seat to the left of the Minister and Ron sat down to his right.

"I'm confused," Hermione said looking from Kingsley to Blaise and back. "What does Mr. Zabini have to do with my work here at the hospital?"

"I'm here on behalf of my client," Blaise told her.

"Your client?" Hermione asked as she turned to face Blaise, feeling even more confused than before. "But who is your..." And then it hit her like a ton of bricks.

"NO," Hermione said whirling around and staring at Kingsley. "Minister, with all due respect, you cannot possibly be serious."

"What?" Ron chimed in. "Who's his client?"

"Ms. Granger," Kingsley began. "He completed the program, the program that you set up to rehabilitate Death Eaters so that they could rejoin the wizarding world. "

"That, that, that's not possible," Hermione stammered. "He couldn't possibly."

"Who is he?" Ron interrupted. "Who is the client?"

"I assure you, Ms. Granger, I have Ms. Lovegood's word," Kingsley replied. "He has completed the program and is ready for the final phase, placement in the wizarding world. Surely you don't doubt your program or Ms. Lovegood's ability to run it. You are, after all, the one who put her in charge."

"Of course the program works, and of course I don't doubt Luna but placement with me?" Hermione cried. "Minister, there has to be someone else, anyone else that he can be placed with. I don't mean to sound like a child but why does it have to be with me?"

"He's incredibly intelligent, you know that," Kingsley told her. "He was second only to you at Hogwarts. He's been brewing the majority of the potions for the medical wing in Azkaban for the last year."

"Who was second to you in Hogwarts, Hermione?" Ron asked, starting to turn as red as his hair with frustration. "Who are you talking about?"

"Me, Weasel," Malfoy said sauntering through the door. "You are all, very loudly, talking about me."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Obviously all rights to JK Rowling, etc, I make no money from this & it's all for fun!

Review, review, I love to hear what you think!

At the sight of Malfoy standing in the now open doorway Blaise rose from his chair, Hermione began to massage her temples, Kingsley merely raised an eyebrow, and before anyone could do anything to stop him, Ron exploded. He raised his wand and with a quick spell had Malfoy pinned against the wall.

And at that moment, everyone began to shout.

"Mr. Weasley, you stop immediately," Kingsley shouted jumping to his feet.

"Let my client down right now," Blaise yelled.

"Ronald!" Hermione cried.

But Ron didn't seem to hear any of them as he stared fiercely at Malfoy, who was now beginning to turn purple from the lack of oxygen as the spell began to squeeze his throat. Blaise tackled Ron and Malfoy dropped to the ground grasping his throat and gasping for air. Blaise and Ron began to punch each other and Hermione shot Kingsley an exasperated look.

"Enough," Kingsley shouted but the two men continued to take swings at each other.

With a sound of disgust Hermione pulled out her wand and with a wave, had Ron and Blaise pinned upside down against opposite sides of the room. Without looking at Malfoy, she used wandless magic with her left hand to cast a spell in his direction ending the spell Ron had cast upon him. The minute the spell was lifted Malfoy attempted to launch himself at Ron who tried to fight against Hermione's spell. But before Malfoy could take his third step Hermione had him plastered against the third wall with a flick of her wand.

"Are you quite done?" she shouted, looking at all three men with a fierce glare. "You are adults, I suggest you all act like it."

"Ms. Granger," Kingsley said. But Hermione didn't respond, choosing to continue to glare at Malfoy, Ron, and Blaise instead.

"Hermione," Kingsley said gently, rising from his chair and stepping in front of her. "Hermione, you can let them down. If, however, they begin to act in a way that is less than professional I give you permission, as Minister of Magic, to put them back up against the wall."

Hermione looked away from the three men and looked at Kingsley. With a sigh she ended the spell with a quick "finite", lowered her wand and they all dropped to the ground with a loud thud.

"Now, if everyone could sit down," Kingsley said as he returned to his chair. "We can finish this meeting in peace."

Ron shot a look at Malfoy and Blaise before sitting to the right of Kingsley. Without a word Hermione sat to Kingsley's left and Malfoy and Blaise took seats opposite them at the other end of the table.

"Now, Ms. Granger, in the spirit of acting like adults, will you work with Mr. Malfoy?" Kingsley asked.

"I don't want to," Hermione replied honestly, pausing when Draco snorted and mumbled something under his breath which earned him an elbow in the ribs from Blaise. "And I don't think that I can, I have three interns already, I really don't have enough work to take on another."

"I am NO ONE'S intern," Malfoy growled from the end of the table. "Certainly not an intern to a Mu-"

Blaise gave him another elbow in the ribs.

"-uggle born," Draco said through his teeth. "I don't want to intern with her."

"Actually, Mr. Malfoy, you wouldn't be Ms. Granger's intern," Kingsley said with one eye on Hermione.

"He wouldn't?" Hermione questioned.

"I wouldn't?" Draco asked simultaneously.

"Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy is, as I said, very intelligent and a very talented potions master," Kingsley said carefully. "I believe your research could benefit greatly from his insight and his talents."

"I doubt he could contribute to Hermione's work, she's done brilliantly on her own," Ron said, proudly. "She's the leading research expert on the long term effects of the Cruciatus Curse and other dark spells on people. All Malfoy could contribute is his first-hand knowledge of what it's like to use all of the Unforgivables on people."

"Mr. Weasley," Kingsley said in a warning voice and Ron sat back in his chair fuming but didn't say more.

"So, Hermione," Kingsley continued, looking at Hermione. "Will you allow Mr. Malfoy to work with you on your work?"

Hermione sat silently for several minutes, staring at her left arm through her jacket.

"If it helps," Blaise said, breaking the silence. "I personally promise Draco won't give you any trouble nor will he treat you with anything less than courtesy."

Ron and Malfoy snorted in response then glared at one another.

"May I think about it?" Hermione asked Kingsley.

"Blimey, Hermione, you can't actually be considering this, can you?" Ron cried, rising from his chair.

"Mr. Weasley, sit down or I will remove you from this room," Kingsley said sharply. Ron sat and crossed his arms, fuming.

"Unfortunately, Ms. Granger, I need a response now," Kingsley continued. "As you know, the rehabilitated must be placed within 24 hours of release from Azkaban. Mr. Malfoy has been out of Azkaban for about 18 hours."

"The answer is no," Ron said assertively. "Hermione is not going to work with him."

"Honestly, Ronald, I do not need you to speak for me," Hermione admonished.

"Sorry, Hermione," Ron muttered.

Draco said something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "little bitch" earning him a withering look from Blaise.

"Kingsley, I really don't know, I..." Hermione started to say.

"What if Mr. Malfoy had more to contribute to your research Ms. Granger than just his sparkling wit and giant brain?" Blaise asked, interrupting her.

Hermione turned her head to the side pensively. "Like, what?"

"Yeah," Draco said looking at Blaise questioningly. "Like, what?"

"Draco will fund your research for the entirety of the time that he is working with you on the project," Blaise proposed.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'll WHAT!?" Draco shouted, as he shot out of his seat. "Blaise, what the hell?"

"Shut up," Blaise replied. "And sit down."

Fuming, Draco returned to his seat. "I will NOT fund her research."

"Yes, you will," Blaise told him. "It will do the Malfoy name good, which would please your mother, and judging by the look on Ms. Granger's face right now it's the only thing that you have to offer that she'd actually consider to take you on."

"Malfoy money would NEVER fund anything like this," Draco said seething. "My father will hear about this."

Before Blaise could answer, Hermione did.

"Grow the hell up, Malfoy," Hermione snapped. "Your father is in Azkaban, for the rest of his life, the only thing he's going to hear are the screams of his fellow inmates."

"Don't you dare talk about my father you filthy little Mudblood slut," Draco shouted angrily.

"Don't call her that!" Ron shouted jumping from his chair, practically on top of the table.

"ENOUGH!" Kingsley shouted, raising his voice for the first time the entire meeting. "Everyone sits down, NOW."

With wide eyes, Hermione, Blaise, and Ron sat down and Malfoy dropped into his chair with a huff.

"Mr. Zabini, was your offer serious?" Kingsley asked, looking curiously at Blaise. "Will Mr. Malfoy fund Ms. Granger's research for the time that he would be working with her?"

"I most certainly will no-"

" _Silencio_ ," Blaise said, cutting off the rest of Malfoy's words.

"Yes," Blaise said, ignoring Draco as he shook his head, silently shouting no, and slapping at Blaise. "As Draco is the head of the Malfoy family, he has control of the Malfoy vaults but given that he is still technically a prisoner, as his advocate, per wizarding law I have control of him and his assets, which includes the Malfoy funds. Draco will give Ms. Granger 20,000 galleons a month for the six months it will take for him to complete the last step of his rehabilitation."

At the mention of 20,000 galleons Draco looked stunned before he resumed trying to speak and flailing his arms, attempting to indicate that he wouldn't consent.

"Ms. Granger," Kingsley asked, turning his attention to Hermione. "If Mr. Malfoy agrees to treat you respectfully and gives you 20,000 galleons a month while he works with you, will you agree to let him work with you on your research?"

Hermione bit her lip and sighed.

"You've done good work, Hermione," Kingsley continued, dropping the formality. "And as much as we would like to, neither the Ministry nor St. Mungo's can give you the funding that you need. Think of the progress you could make with that much money in addition to Mr. Malfoy's knowledge."

"Hermione, don't do this," Ron said, looking at her pleadingly. "He's evil."

Hermione sat, biting her lip, staring at her left arm, when shudders began to wrack her body. Ron jumped up and ran around the table and stroked her back as she gripped the table and waited for it to pass. The room was completely silent for several minutes with all eyes on Hermione.

"I'll do it," Hermione said quietly, so quietly that only Ron heard her reply.

"Hermione, no," Ron shouted turning her chair so it faced him. "You can't do this, he can't help you!"

"I'll do it," Hermione said, loud enough for Kingsley, Blaise, and Draco to hear. "I accept your conditions, Blaise, but I have one of my own."

"Very well," Blaise said. "What is it?"

"Malfoy gets one chance," she said. "One chance and if he blows it, I will personally deem him no longer rehabilitated and I will send him back to Azkaban faster than a hippogriff can fly. I started the program and Luna is one of my closest friends, you know I can."

"Draco agrees," Blaise said, earning a glare from Malfoy.

"I want to hear it from him," Hermione said. "Take off the spell. I want to hear him say, in his voice and in his words, that he agrees."

Blaise looked hesitantly at Hermione then at Draco. He leaned in and whispered in Draco's ear. Draco shook his head. Blaise whispered something else and Draco looked at him, horrified. Blaise gave him a questioning look and Draco nodded. Hermione watched the exchange with fascination. Blaise removed the spell but Draco didn't speak.

Hermione looked at Draco expectantly. "Well?"

"I agree to the terms discussed by Granger and Blaise," he said through gritted teeth.

"And what are those terms, Malfoy?" Hermione asked staring at him.

"I, Draco Malfoy, hereby swear to be nice to Granger, not piss her off, give her bloody 20,000 galleons for her stupid research, for the next six bloody months," he said with a snarl. "If I piss off Granger, I go back to Azkaban."

"It's as good as you're going to get," Blaise said with a half smile.

"That's shit, he-," Ron started to say but Hermione gave him a look, stopping him.

"It's good enough," Hermione said. "Minister, is that everything?"

"Yes," Kingsley replied wearily. "That's everything."

"Then I'll get back to work, I was due to start my rounds at 5:00pm." Hermione said. She rose, hugged Ron and shook Blaise's hand.

"Malfoy," she said, addressing him directly. "I'll see you tomorrow at 1:00pm. I always do my research in the afternoon. Don't be late."

"Yes, Ms. Granger," Malfoy replied in a mocking tone.

Without another word she turned her heel and walked out of the room.

"Mr. Zabini, I trust that you will see Mr. Malfoy back to the Manor," Kingsley said.

"Yes, Minister, Mr. Malfoy will be returned directly to the Manor from here," Blaise replied.

"Very well," Kingsley replied. "Mr. Zabini, you know your way out."

Kingsley rose from his chair and walked around the table and stopped in front of Draco. "Mr. Malfoy, listen to me very carefully," he told him. "Throughout this meeting there were a number of times you used a certain word and showed certain behaviors that would suggest that you are anything but a reformed man."

Draco simply stared at him, resisting the urge to roll his eyes in response.

"Let me make myself quite clear," Kingsley continued. "You are ONLY here because Ms. Lovegood cleared you, swore that you were a different man than who you were when you went in to Azkaban. This is your one and only chance to prove Ms. Lovegood was right. I suggest you do a better job of it in the future or you will find yourself back there very, very quickly and you will never be released."

With that, Kingsley turned his heel and walked out of the room. Ron shot Draco and Blaise a glare before following his boss out.

As soon as the door closed, Blaise looked at Draco and braced himself for the storm that he knew was about to be unleashed.

"What the hell mate?" Draco screamed. "You sold me out, to Granger none the less. When you said we had a meeting with someone I could do research with you didn't say it was Potter's Mudblood."

"Don't use that word," Blaise said wearily. "And I didn't tell you, because I knew you wouldn't come if you knew. This is your chance Draco, to get back into the wizarding world. You managed to get through three years in Azkaban, you can get through six months with Granger."

"I'd rather three more years in Azkaban than six months with that filth," he said disgusted. "As if anything a Mudblood is doing is worth my time."

"Stop," Blaise said, raising his voice. "Just stop. You're supposed to be rehabilitated. You can't say those things anymore. You're going to have to do a hell of a better job of faking it working with Granger because she'll send you back to Azkaban, Draco, she wasn't joking."

"She won't send me back," Draco snorted. "She's a bleeding heart Gryffindor."

"That's what you don't get mate," Blaise said shaking his head. "She is a Gryffindor but we aren't at Hogwarts anymore and the war changed her; it changed everyone. She went through a lot and she won't hesitate to send you back."

"How do you know so much about her?" Draco asked suspiciously.

"I asked," Blaise replied simply.

Before Draco could say anything more Blaise looked at his pocket watch and sighed. "Come on, we need to get you back to the Manor before curfew."

Blaise walked out of the room. Draco stood for a moment by himself and stared at the seat that Hermione had occupied. "It's going to be a long six months," he said to himself and walked out of the room.


	4. Chapter 4

At precisely 1 pm the following day Draco reluctantly found himself back in St. Mungo's outside of Hermione's office door. He'd dressed in pristine black robes again and not a blonde hair was out of place. Blaise was with him, dressed in his advocate robes, as it was the middle of his work day, and raised his hand to knock on the door before he lowered it and looked at Draco.

"You're going to do this mate," Blaise told him. "You're going to do this and then in six months you can go back to being the smug anti-muggle son of a bitch you've always been."

"I can play nice with the Mudblood," Draco replied glaring at him.

"You have to stop using that word," Blaise answered with a shake of his head.

Satisfied Draco would at least somewhat try, Blaise knocked on the door.

"Come in," came Hermione's voice from the other side.

Without looking at Draco, Blaise turned the knob and pushed open the door. Blaise walked in first, followed by Draco and sat in the chair on the right in front of her desk and Draco sat in the chair on the left. Hermione waved her hand and the door shut.

"Blaise, I wasn't expecting to see you," Hermione said with a smile, adjusting her pale green Healer robes. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, Hermione," Blaise replied, returning her smile. "I figured on the first day I should make sure that Draco didn't get lost."

"I'm sitting right here you know," Draco said with a scowl. "When did the two of you become so chummy?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow and looked at Blaise expectantly. "You didn't tell him?"

"No," Blaise said with a shrug. "Didn't think he was ready for that."

"Didn't tell me what?" Draco asked looking at Blaise.

"You should tell him," Hermione answered, speaking to Blaise but looking at Draco. "I'd love to see his reaction."

"I'll tell him later," Blaise said giving her a look. "Now you two should get to work."

Hermione smiled at Blaise again and nodded. "You're right, come along Malfoy."

"Tell me what?" Draco asked again, ignoring Hermione and staring pointedly at Blaise. "What the bloody hell aren't you telling me?"

"I'll tell you when I come back for you tonight," Blaise said. "Behave for Hermione."

"I'm not a bloody child," Draco replied.

"Your shift finishes at 8, right Hermione?" Blaise asked, ignoring Draco.

"Yes, that's right," Hermione replied amiably. "We'll see you then!"

Blaise gave Draco one last look before standing and exiting the room. He shut the door behind him, leaving Hermione and Draco alone in the room.

"Now let's get one thing straight, Mudblood," Draco started to say but Hermione cut him off.

"Yes, let's get a few things straight," she said strictly. "Rule number 1: No calling me that name. Not ever. A slip up here and there I understand, after all, it's ingrained in you to be a supremacist ass but you will not call me that name. You are to call me Ms. Granger, Granger or Hermione if you need to address me. Understood?"

Draco opened his mouth to respond but Hermione continued before he could answer.

"Rule number 2, you will treat the interns with the same respect. They are all fresh out of the St. Mungo's Healer program and are here to help me with my work. They will be kind to you, you will be kind to them, and our work day will go smoothly."

"I don't care wh-," Draco started to say but Hermione kept going.

"Rule number 3, my work is confidential, only those involved in the project know the specific details and it has to stay that way. If you leak any information from my work that will be enough for me to return you to Azkaban. You will of course be credited if you contribute anything of value to my work."

"If?" Draco snorted. "You're lucky to have someone of my abilities working with you, mudbl-ah-Granger. Additionally, I doubt any of the work you've done is substantial enough to even warrant being leaked to the magical community so you really don't have to worry about me telling anyone what a failure you are."

"Your opinion means so much to me," Hermione replied disingenuously. "Continuing, rule number 4,"

"Bloody hell, how many rules do you have?" Draco exclaimed.

"Four," Hermione answered. "I can write them down for you if you can't keep up."

"I can keep up," Draco said annoyed. "Carry on."

"Very well," Hermione replied. "Rule number 4, no visitors. No one is allowed in to my lab area other than myself, the three interns, and now you. If you meet someone, you are to meet them in the main area."

"Fine, fine," Draco replied. "Any other rules?"

"That's all for now," Hermione said and stood. "Come with me, we'll get you started."

Draco rose and followed her out of her office. They went down the hallway and stopped before a glass door.

"Stand next to me," Hermione said.

"Why?" Draco asked, unmoving.

"The door has to recognize that you're here and scan you to assess who you are," she said irritated. When Draco still didn't move, she grabbed his arm and yanked him next to her. "Just stand in front of the door, Malfoy."

Draco wrenched his arm away from her. "You don't need to touch me," he spat.

"Do as you're told and I won't have to," Hermione retorted. "Now face forward and stand still."

The door hummed and Draco felt as if something passed through him. A moment later the door slid open and Hermione crossed through. Draco followed.

"Quite the security setup you have, Granger," Malfoy said. "Confusing since I doubt you have anything of value to protect."

Hermione ignored him and led him into a small room off of the main corridor. Draco walked into the room and stared at the ten neat stacks of paper about 3 meters high on the small brown desk at the center of the room.

"If you think I'm sorting papers," he told her. "You're crazier than I thought."

"You're not sorting papers," Hermione said with a shake of her head. "While I understand that the Minister expects us to work together, you don't know anything about my work, so you can spend today familiarizing yourself with everything I've done to date as well as what I plan to do next."

"You want me to read all this?" Draco said incredulously. "That will take hours."

"Yes, it will," Hermione said cheerfully. "This should take you until my rounds begin at 5. I'll take you with me on my rounds. After that you'll have a half hour to eat dinner then you'll return here and finish reading."

"This isn't working together," Draco argued. "We're supposed to be working with each other, not me sitting around reading."

"This is the setup for us to be able to work," Hermione replied, intentionally omitting the word "together". "You can't work if you don't know what I'm doing. Do you have any questions?"

Draco stared at the pile of papers and Hermione could see him debating whether or not he wanted to say something. He chose silence as his response and he turned his back to her and sat the desk. Satisfied, Hermione walked out of the room.

"You have got to be kidding me," Draco moaned the moment Hermione shut the door behind her and left him with the stacks of paper. "Leave it to the bloody bookworm to have ten stacks of research. And all of it is probably bloody shit. This chair is so uncomfortable, I at least need a proper chair. Oh bugger it." he ranted.

With another moan, Draco stared at the piles looming over him. He realized they had numbers charmed on them, 1 through 10, to indicate what order they were to be read it. "Right to left, 1 through 10, thanks Mudblood," he muttered. "Like I couldn't figure that out on my own. I am exceedingly smarter than you."

Resigned, he picked up the first set of papers from the top of the first stack and began to read.

* * *

A/N: Hope you like what you're reading so far! You get two chapters from me tonight because I'm in a rush to upload the story before school starts. I love reviews and hearing what you think! Enjoy, enjoy!


	5. Chapter 5

Once Hermione was safely back in her office with the door shut, she sat down in her chair, and laid her head on her desk. She breathed a sigh of relief. It had gone much better than she expected, she thought to herself. She was itching for Malfoy to make a mistake, she realized, to give her a reason to send him packing back to Azkaban, but he'd been civil the entire time, even when it looked like it was physically paining him to do so at some points.

"Maybe this will work," Hermione said to herself out loud, allowing her thoughts to drift. She suddenly felt a tremor that began in her left hand, then moved up through her arm. Hermione ripped open the top right drawer of her desk and pulled out a blue potion. She drank it quickly and waited a few minutes for it to work, sitting in her chair as the tremors washed over her but soon thereafter, went away. She opened the top right drawer again and pulled out a journal. She scribbled in it quickly, noting that the episodes were down to once a day, and more controlled with the potion. She shut the journal and tucked it back in the drawer. She then looked at her watch and, noting it was half past one, walked to her fireplace and placed a quick floo call. Not two minutes later there was a knock at her door. She walked to the door and opened it to find her three best friends on the other side.

"How did it go?" Harry asked.

"What did ferret boy do?" was Ron's question.

"How are you?" Ginny wanted to know.

Hermione laughed and ushered her friends in to her office and shut the door behind them. She conjured a third chair and they all sat down.

"One question at a time," she said, smiling at her friends. "Harry, it went fine. Ron, he didn't do anything. Gin, I'm perfectly fine."

They all started to answer her at once, then all stopped at the same time with a laugh.

"I'll go first," Harry said, still laughing. "You lot can wait your turn. It went fine? Are you sure?"

"Yes," Hermione replied. "He only called me Mudblood once. After that, I laid down the rules and other than a few snide comments here and there, he didn't say much. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle."

"That's great to hear, Hermione," Ginny said.

"I hope he screws up," Ron announced. "Then Hermione can send him back to Azkaban where he belongs."

"Luna seems to think he's changed," Hermione pointed out. "And I've never known Luna to be wrong. She was right about your girlfriend after all."

"Pansy was never a Death Eater," Ron argued. "She was just associated with all of them because of her parents. She never had a real choice until they died."

"Maybe Malfoy didn't either," Hermione replied.

"You aren't actually sticking up for him, are you?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"Of course not," Hermione said. "He was a Death Eater, we heard what he did during the war at his trial. I'm just saying Luna saw something in him and, even though I can't figure out what it is, given his behavior today he's at least capable of being civil. That's all I wanted."

"Where is ferret face, anyway?" Ginny questioned.

"Oh I left him with ten stacks of my research," Hermione told them. "He needed to catch up on what I've been doing so he can see what I've done and what I plan to do next."

"Brilliant," Ron replied. "That's a great way to get rid of him for at least a week."

Hermione gave him a look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Only that you're, uh, very thorough," Ron stammered. "Very thorough researcher. Lots of research you do. All of the reading of it. Yeah."

"How did Malfoy get here today anyway?" Ginny asked, saving Ron from stammering out more nonsense. "It's not like he knew where to go."

"Oh, Blaise brought him down," Hermione answered.

"Does Malfoy know about Blaise?" Ginny questioned.

"No," Hermione said, a huge grin spreading across her face. "He said he'd tell him later today after he picked him up from here.

"Wait, so Malfoy has no idea?" Ron asked, now grinning as well.

"None," Hermione confirmed. "No clue at all."

"Wow," Ginny replied. "I wish I could be there for that conversation."

"So would I," Harry said with a laugh. "I can't believe Malfoy doesn't know."

"Well, he'll find out soon enough," Hermione answered.

Just then, Hermione's floo crackled and Molly Weasley's face came through.

"Hello dear!" she said cheerfully.

"Hello Mum! Hello Mrs. Weasley" They all chimed in response.

"Oh I'm so glad I caught you all!" She exclaimed. "Hermione dear you really must find a way to get owls down in that pit you work in."

"I work in a hospital lab, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione replied. "For security reasons, no owls can be here."

"Pish," was Mrs. Weasley's response. "But anyway, I just wanted to be sure all of you would be coming over for dinner on Sunday. Andromeda is bringing Teddy and she's been dying to see James."

Ginny and Harry both smiled at the mention of their 2 year old son. "We'll bring him Mrs. Weasley," Harry replied. "And we'll all be there."

Hermione and Ron nodded in affirmation.

"Ronald dear, will your...friend be attending?" Mrs. Weasley asked apprehensively.

"Yes, mum," Ron replied annoyed. "I will be bringing my girlfriend to dinner. Honestly mum you've got to give her a chance!"

"Now is not the time for this," Mrs. Weasley admonished. "Very well, I will see you all on Sunday!"

With a pop, her head disappeared from the fireplace.

As soon as she was gone, Ron spoke. "I've been with Pansy for a year now," he said exasperated. "She still refuses to call her my girlfriend. When will she just accept that she's changed and that I love her?"

"She'll get there," Ginny said. "You just have to give her a little more time."

The friends lapsed into silence but Harry spoke only a moment later. "Well, I've got to get back to the Auror's office," he said. "I'm sure I've been gone long enough that I'm missed and I left Seamus with all of the paperwork from our last mission."

"I should go as well," Ginny said. "I want to go pick up James from Hannah and Dean's daycare. I love when Quidditch practice is cancelled."

"This coming from the captain of the team," Ron said laughing. "I'll go as well, I'm sure Kingsley probably needs me for something."

They each took a turn hugging Hermione before leaving her office. Once she was alone, Hermione pulled out the folder she'd left on her desk the previous day and began to go over her notes from the books she'd been reading in the Archives. She stayed there, adding notes to her notes, until 4:45pm. She debated working another 10 minutes but she'd never been late to her rounds and she didn't want to be now simply because she wanted to avoid Malfoy. She made sure her wand was tucked safely up her sleeve and closed the folder. She walked out of her office and two minutes later she was in front of the door to the room where she'd left Malfoy working. She took a breath and pushed open the door.

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A/N: I've gotten some really wonderful reviews from people and I just wanted to say thank you! Thank you for taking the time to read my story, to write me what you think, and to give great suggestions. It means a lot that everyone seems to be loving the story!


	6. Chapter 6

The sight in front of her was the last she expected to find. Draco was nose deep in pile six, the other piles messily stacked next to each other and he was furiously scribbling on what looked to be his tenth or eleventh piece of parchment. Hermione simply stood in the doorway with her mouth hanging open, unsure of what to do or say. She didn't get a chance to decide what to do because Draco looked up at her and spoke.

"What's the matter, Granger?" He sneered. "That wretched orange furball of yours got your tongue?"

"Crookshanks?" Hermione replied puzzled but said nothing more.

"How should I know what it's called?" Draco said in return.

"You're reading my research," Hermione said, unsure of what else to say.

"Yes," Draco said impatiently. "That's what I was bloody told to do, wasn't it?"

"You're taking notes," Hermione said dumbly.

"I'm making a list of everything that's wrong with your work," Draco replied. "It'd be longer but I seem to be short on parchment."

The insult to her research snapped Hermione out of her shock. "There isn't anything wrong with my research, ferret!" she said menacingly.

"Sure there is," Draco said feigning friendliness. "It was done by you and not someone better."

"Who's better, Malfoy?" Hermione challenged.

"Me," he said with a nasty grin. "In every way."

Hermione decided that minute that there was no way in hell she was taking him on her rounds with her.

"Change of plans," she said. "I'm going to go on my rounds and you're going to continue catching up on my research. I'll be back for you at 8pm."

"You expect me to just sit here and dull my brain with your inferior research?" Draco asked. "I'm so bloody bored."

"Yes," Hermione told him. "Good luck."

She turned her heel and shut the door firmly behind her. She would do her rounds she thought, eat a quick dinner, and then find something for Malfoy to do to keep him occupied. Satisfied with her plan, Hermione made her way down the hallway to get started.

Meanwhile, Draco stared at the pieces of parchment in front of him. He's taken nearly eleven pages on notes on the Mudblood's research. Granted the first two pages were the words "I hate the Mudblood" written over and over, but once he'd actually started reading her research, he couldn't stop. Her research was actually GOOD, not to mention thorough, concise, and her notes on the research were clearly well thought out. But it lacked an important element of the Cruciatus that only someone who'd performed the curse would understand. So he began to write down what he knew and his own ideas, incorporating them in with notes from her research. It was fine to use her research, he rationalized. Lower persons always did the grunt work for their superiors, this was hardly any different even if they were supposed to be "working together." Satisfied that what he was doing was justifiable, Draco went back to work.

At 8pm, Hermione returned to the room and told him the day was over. Draco folded up his pieces of parchment and, to Hermione's disappointment, tucked them in to the pocket of his robes. She'd wanted to know what he wrote. Curious, she asked him to see the notes.

"Now, now, Granger I can't just hand over my brilliance to you," he sneered. "Besides, you probably wouldn't understand a word I wrote."

"Fine," Hermione replied. "Let's go, Blaise is waiting for you upstairs. He has a bit of a surprise for you."

Together they walked out of Hermione's lab area and made their way to the main floor of St. Mungo's. When they walked into the main waiting area Blaise was there with a small woman. She was pretty, Draco mused. But not Blaise's usual type. He wondered who she was and what she was doing with Blaise. Hermione and Draco walked toward them and when they reached the pair, Hermione embraced the woman. A friend of Granger's, he thought. It figured.

"How'd today go mate?" Blaise asked Draco.

"Boring," Malfoy replied feigning a yawn. "Granger's work isn't interesting at all."

The unnamed woman raised an eyebrow at his response.

"Hermione, how was he?" Blaise asked, turning his attention to Hermione.

"He was Malfoy," she replied. "But a more tolerable version."

"Good," Blaise said and turned back to Draco and slid his arm around the woman next to him. "Draco, I'd like you to meet Gina."

Draco held out his hand and shook Gina's hand. "Nice to meet you," he said politely.

"Draco," Blaise started but paused unsure how to proceed.

"What?" Draco asked, looking back and forth from Blaise to Gina.

Gina looked at Blaise and seeing the look of uncertainty slid her arm around his waist and his arm automatically came around tucking her next to him.

"Draco, Gina is my wife."

Draco looked stunned before the first genuine smile Hermione had seen came across his face. "Well I'll be damned. Someone finally managed to tie down Zabini," he said. "Congratulations."

Blaise breathed a sigh of relief. "You took that better than I thought you would," he said.

"I'm pissed I've lost my best wing man," Draco told him. "But I'm glad you've met someone."

"Isn't there anything else you need to tell him?" Hermione said looking at Blaise pointedly.

Gina looked up at her husband expectantly.

"What else do you have to tell me?" Draco asked, unsettled by the look of glee on Hermione's face.

Blaise gave Hermione a look then down at his wife.

"Why don't you tell him how we met?" Gina suggested.

"Er, alright," Blaise said, looking around to make sure no one was around when Draco got the news. "After the war, several of the pure blood families donated money to repair Hogwarts. They asked me to represent them all since my name still carried some respect. Gina and Hermione set up a fund for orphans who lost their parents during the war and a lot of the money went to that."

"Okay?" Draco said. "So you met her then?"

"Hermione and Gina also set up an educational program to help teach acceptance of muggleborns in the wizarding world," Blaise replied. "The families also donated to that and that's how I met her."

"It's a cause that's very close to my heart," Gina said looking directly at Draco. "Very close to Hermione's as well."

"Lovely," Draco said looking disgusted. "So you bonded over being pathetic Mudblood sympathizers."

Blaise cringed at the word and held Gina closer to him. "Don't use that word mate, not when you could easily use it to describe my wife."

"Why would I use it to describe your-," then Draco realized what they'd been tiptoeing around telling him.

"You're a Mudbl-muggle born?" Draco asked, catching himself mid-word when Blaise gave him a look.

"Yes," Gina replied holding her head high. "And I'm married to your pureblood best friend."

Draco gaped like a fish for a minute before Blaise turned to his wife and Hermione. "Why don't you give me a minute to talk to him?" He said. "I'm sure he'll have some things he'd like to say and I'd prefer it if you ladies didn't hear it."

"We'll go get a butterbeer at the bar across the street," Hermione said.

Gina gave Blaise a long kiss and grinned at Draco when he looked slightly ill at the sight. She linked her arm through Hermione's and the two walked out of the room.

Blaise watched them leave with a smile. He turned back to Draco whose face hadn't returned to its normal pale pallor and hadn't moved at all.

"Draco?" Blaise said hesitantly.

"You're a blood traitor," Draco said, staring at Blaise as if he was seeing him for the first time. "You married a Mudblood. You're a blood traitor. My best mate. A blood traitor."

At Draco's words Blaise did the only thing he could think to do. He punched him in the face. The force of the punch sent Draco falling to the floor.

"Do not ever call me that," Blaise said, looming over Draco. "Do not ever use those words in front of me again. You've been my best mate for a long time but if you ever call me or my wife those words again, you'll regret it."

Draco stared up at Blaise and Blaise stared back. Then Blaise held out his hand. Draco sat on the floor another minute, unsure of what to do. Then he knocked Blaise's hand away and stood, wiping the blood from his nose.

"Why?" Draco wanted to know. "Why would you do it?"

"Because I love her," Blaise replied. "And for some reason, she loves me too."

"You're a sap, you know that right?" Draco said.

"Yes," Blaise said with a laugh. "I know."

"I don't like who she is, Blaise and I don't understand this at all," Draco said, holding up his hands when Blaise's eyes narrowed and his fist clenched. "But for our friendship, I'll keep my mouth shut."

"That's good enough for now," Blaise acknowledged. "But she's my wife Draco. You're going to have to get over your blood prejudice eventually. Not just for her but so you can function out in the world."

"People can't change," Draco said dismissively. "Especially when they don't want to because what they believe is right."

"That's rubbish," Blaise replied. "The entire wizarding world is proof that people can change. I'm proof that people can change. All you need is the right trigger."

"Whatever you say mate," Draco replied, certain that the Muggleborn woman had made Blaise lose his mind.

"I'm going to go meet Gina and Hermione," Blaise told him. "Do you want to come?"

"I think I'll go home," Draco said. "Not because I don't want to spend time with the Muggleborn wonder duo, but because it's been a very long day."

"Very well," Blaise replied and held out his hand again. This time Draco shook it. "See you around mate."

Blaise walked out of St. Mungo's and Malfoy walked to the fireplaces. It had been a hell of a day, he thought, and it was only day 1. "Only 5 months and 29 days to go," he mumbled to himself before he stepped in to the fireplace and disappeared in a puff of green smoke.

* * *

A/N: So I have to be honest, I hate, hate, HATE when author's add characters that aren't a part of the original story. But in this case, I needed to create a Muggleborn character who would actually pair well with Blaise and I couldn't think of anyone from the books. So forgive me, but I needed his wife to be a certain way and be a Muggleborn for the story to work. Please don't hate me!


	7. Chapter 7

Over the next two months, Draco and Hermione fell into a routine. He would show up at her office at 1:00pm, make some snide remark about her research, and then they would go to the Archives or travel to the Hogwarts library or sometimes, go to speak to other researchers. At 5:00pm, Hermione would go and do her rounds while Draco ate dinner. They would get back together when she was done and continue to research until 8:00pm when Draco flooed home. Hermione managed to hide all of her episodes from Draco and continued the documentation of them every day. The two didn't get along per se, but Draco hadn't called Hermione a Mudblood since the first day and other than making disparaging remarks about the work she was doing, Hermione was surprised to find Draco incredibly helpful. He was good at research, Hermione mused. And good at analyzing information quickly. He constantly questioned her - not in a way that made her angry but in a way that made her think and she did the same to him. He wouldn't always reveal how or why he knew certain things about the curses but Hermione had learned that she could trust that what he was saying was true.

Draco on the other hand was astounded by how quickly he became invested in the work. Not in the topic itself, he still didn't care at all what happened to people after they'd been cursed, but he enjoyed the challenge of a seemingly unsolvable puzzle. Granger was significantly less annoying that he remembered in school and he begrudgingly admitted to himself that, for a Muggleborn, she truly was incredibly intelligent. He still hated her of course, and her stupid friends who would occasionally visit and glare at him from her office, but he found he didn't mind working with her as much as he thought he would. When he wasn't at work, he'd spend time with Blaise. Gina was always mysteriously absent when the two got together but that was just fine with Draco. He began renovations of the Manor and, with the Wizengamot's approval, began to try to rebuild Malfoy Enterprises. There was nearly nothing left of it but he still had the Malfoy wealth so he began to learn about the business his father had run in hopes of bringing it back to its former glory. Everything seemed to be going well for Draco and Hermione until one afternoon when a book written by a dark wizard sparked an argument between the pair.

"How can you sit here and tell me that the Cruciatus curse exists for a good reason?" Hermione cried from her side of the desk in the Archives where they'd been working.

"I didn't say it existed for a good reason," he answered. "I said it exists for useful reasons."

"That's the same thing," Hermione told him. "I can't understand why you would ever find something so horrible useful."

"Therein lies one of the many, many, many differences between us," he replied. "You see the curse exactly as you were taught to see it, a bad curse created by bad people used by those bad people against good people. You went through the same war I did, surely you don't really think it's that black and white."

"I don't think anything is that black and white," Hermione defended. "I'm just saying, there's a reason the Cruciatus is called an unforgivable. For one person to use it against another is exactly that, unforgivable, no matter what the reason why."

"But what if using the curse on someone could gain you information that could greatly help your side win a battle? Or win a war? People talk when they want the pain to stop," Draco replied. "It's a good way to get information out of someone who would otherwise be unwilling to give it up."

"There are other ways to get someone to talk," Hermione said firmly. "Torture like that is not the way!"

"It's a wonder your side won the war at all," Draco retorted. "Too meek and too good to use a little curse on the enemy."

"Our side won because good always wins," Hermione replied angrily. "Not that you'd know anything about being good."

"Oh resorted to personal attacks have we?" Draco answered gleefully. "I daresay this conversation all of a sudden got very personal. Too bad you're not smart enough to keep up with a Slytherin."

"Don't question my intelligence," Hermione said raising her voice. "And being from Slytherin house means next to nothing anymore. Surely you've been out in the world long enough to see that."

"Yes, I see the pathetic facsimile of a world we're living in," he retorted. "Purebloods pretending they give a damn about Muggleborns so they don't end up in Azkaban or shunned from society. They're forced to keep their beliefs to themselves because they aren't accepted in this "new wizard world" that we live in. Muggleborns and half-bloods walking around as if they have the right to even breathe the same air as a pureblood does. Oh how the tables have turned now that good has won."

"You know what, Draco? I've had enough," Hermione said, advancing around the table and standing directly in front of him. Her use of his first named stunned him into silence. "Yes that is the world that we live in. Blatant displays of hatred are no longer tolerated here. You have your beliefs, you keep them to yourself because what you believe is WRONG."

The lights began to flicker and the pages of the book began to turn as Hermione's control of her magic began to waiver.

"There is absolutely no difference at all between you or me or Harry or any other wizard in our world. Your perfect pureblood society is GONE."

At the word gone, several books flew off the shelves and one hit Draco in the head. The cut began to bleed down his face but he stood, immobile, listening to Hermione.

"You have a chance Draco, a real chance to make a life for yourself, independent of your father, independent of the Death Eaters, independent of all of the hate and prejudice that you were raised to believe was true but is just wrong. Voldemort is DEAD, he is dead and he is NEVER coming back. Get your head out of your ass and start thinking for yourself."

Draco stared down at Hermione, stunned by her speech. He then responded in the only way he knew how. "Well, well, well," Draco answered, sounding amused but trying to stem the bleeding from the cut on his head. "Poke Granger and she grows claws. It's almost as if you had a backbone."

"As if you'd know anything about a backbone, Malfoy," Hermione retorted. "All you know is how to follow orders from your Death Eater father and precious dark lord."

Draco's eyes narrowed at the mention of his father and Voldemort, "Careful, Granger," he said deathly quiet. "Don't talk about things you don't understand."

His tone alone sent shivers down Hermione's spine. But then, the shivers didn't stop. Hermione grabbed the doorway as she felt the attack coming on. She gripped it as she slid to the floor and Malfoy shot towards her in alarm.

"Granger? Granger?" he yelled at her. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

But she was shaking so badly she couldn't answer. She tried to tune him out, tried to focus on her breathing as the shaking wracked her entire body. She'd just had an episode this morning, they never happened more than once a day, she thought as the pain shot through her. She hadn't anticipated another so she didn't have any of the potion with her.

Malfoy stared at her, unsure of what to do. What he did know is that if something happened to Granger, he would be blamed and in that moment he realized, while he'd only had a few weeks of freedom away from Azkaban, he sure as hell didn't want to go back and the realization hit him like the Hogwarts Express. Certainly his feelings about blood status hadn't changed but as he stared at Granger's small body shaking on the office floor, he knew there was no way he could get blamed for this. Hermione's labored breathing brought him out of his thoughts and into the present. She was still shaking violently and he sure as hell wasn't going to touch her so he stepped over her body and walked down the hall.

"He's going to leave me here," Hermione thought, as she watched Draco step over her and walk out of her line of view. "If I could just, stop the…" but her body was shaken by a particularly bad shudder and she hit her head against the door jam and blacked out.

* * *

A/N: Well an argument between them was bound to happen, right? And what a better way for it to end with the power in Draco's hands and an unconscious Hermione! I love all the reviews, please keep them coming!


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione's head was pounding. It felt like a million house elves were jumping around in her brain. She laid there for a moment with her eyes shut, trying to remember what had happened. She'd had an attack, she remembered, in front of Malfoy. And he'd walked away. He was probably halfway to Russia by now. But she could feel that she was laying in a bed so she knew someone had found her, but who? She gingerly opened one eye, then the other and immediately recognized the white walls of St. Mungo's and the bright red mess of hair next to her bed. Ginny Weasley dozed quietly in the chair next to Hermione's bed with James tucked next to her in an enchanted cradle that rocked back and forth. Hermione smiled at her friend and her son. Not wanting to wake them she tried to sit up but gasped when the pain in her head began again. Her gasp woke Ginny who sat up with a start.

"Hermione, you're awake!" She cried. "Are you okay? Are you in pain? I'll get your Healer. I'm so glad you're awake!"

Before Hermione could answer Ginny rushed out of the room and returned a moment later with the healer.

"Erin, it's so good to see you!" Hermione greeted her healer. Erin was one of the best healers St. Mungo's had and, when she'd begun working there after she moved to London from the United States, they'd become good friends.

"It's good to see you too," Erin replied with a smile. "Though it'd be nice if you visited the emergency wing as a friend rather than a patient."

"I have a concussion, don't I?" Hermione asked, cutting straight to the chase.

"Yes," Erin replied. "But a very mild one. You're lucky, you were brought up here so quickly, we were able to heal you right away."

"How did I get here?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Your intern, Linda," Ginny told her. "She alerted the emergency wing to your accident and they came running."

"That's probably the first thing she's ever done right," Hermione murmured. "Where are the boys?"

"Harry and Ron? They're escorting Malfoy back to Azkaban," Ginny replied.

Before Hermione could say anything, Erin asked, "Malfoy? As in Draco Malfoy?"

"The one and only," Ginny said rolling her eyes.

"Why is he being taken to Azkaban?" Erin queried.

"Because he's the reason Hermione is here in the first place?" Ginny replied confused. "I mean, he attacked you, didn't he?"

"NO!" Erin and Hermione shouted at the same time then looked at each other in surprise.

"Malfoy is the reason we got to Hermione in time," Erin told Ginny. "When Hermione hit her head on the door, she ended up with a huge gash on her head. She was bleeding pretty heavily when we found her. If Malfoy hadn't alerted Linda to what happened, Hermione could have bled out."

"Oh my god," Ginny gasped throwing her hand over her mouth. "But Malfoy is the one who pushed you into the door, isn't he? I mean he was covered in your blood."

"No," Hermione told her. "I had an episode, completely unrelated to Malfoy. He was covered in my blood?"

"When I got there he was holding his hand to your head," Erin told her. "I didn't realize that on probation you aren't allowed your wand."

"No, you aren't," Hermione said. "You're limited to other magic, like the Floo or a portkey. Gin, he hasn't done anything wrong, you need to have them bring him back. Now."

"But how?" Ginny asked, jumping out of her seat. "Harry and Ron took him two hours ago, I don't know how to get in touch with them."

"Find Blaise," Hermione told her, but wince as her head began to pound furiously. "He'll know what to do. Malfoy is his client, tell him I sent you, then tell him everything."

"Where do I find him?" Ginny asked, frantically gathering her things.

"What time is it?"

"A little after 4," Erin replied.

"He's in his office until 4:30pm," Hermione told Ginny. "The advocates' offices are on the same floor as the Wizengamot at the Ministry."

"The Ministry? Got it. Can I leave James here?" she asked, looking at Erin.

"Of course," Erin said. "No safer place than in the middle of a hospital."

Satisfied that her son would be taken care of, Ginny rushed out of the room.

Another flash of pain hit Hermione and she winced out loud.

Erin looked at Hermione and realized she was in pain. "Here, drink this," Erin told her. "It's just a pain potion."

Hermione took the vial and gulped it down. The pain subsided almost immediately but a heavy feeling started to take over her body.

"Not just pain potion," Hermione slurred as her eyes began to close. "Need to do rounds."

"No, it wasn't," Erin confirmed. "And no you don't. What you need is to sleep so that your head can finish healing. Ginny will make sure Malfoy is okay and I'll call Luna in to do your rounds. Rest, Hermione, just rest."

Erin's words were the last thing Hermione heard before the darkness took her and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: Okay, let me explain Erin the American, another original character. The whole reason I got in to reading Dramione and ever had the confidence to write Dramione was because of a former co-worker and good friend; her name is Erin. For being the person who got me into fanfiction and for encouraging me to write, the least I could do was name a character after her. Thanks Erin, this is for you! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Draco Malfoy was having a really shitty afternoon. First, he got yelled at by Granger, then she had some kind of seizure and started bleeding everywhere, then the demented duo arrested him after giving him a few punches and kicks, and now he was sitting in the basement of the Ministry waiting to be transferred back to Azkaban. He'd tried to help her hadn't he? He'd told the stupid intern what had happened and the healers got there before she bled out completely. Hell, he'd even tried to stop the bleeding himself with his own hands, without magic, like a common muggle! And what had it gotten him? Tied to a chair like a common criminal. He looked around the small room he was sitting it. It looked a great deal like a broom closet that someone had stuck an uncomfortable metal chair in. Actually, knowing Weasel and Potty, that's exactly what it was. Draco sighed and shifted uncomfortably in the seat. The blood had begun to dry and was flaking off his shirt. Could this get any worse? Then suddenly he heard shouting outside of the door. A moment later the door flew open and he could see Blaise's angry face.

"Get him untied and out, NOW," Blaise shouted at someone. Some unknown Auror bustled in and immediately did what Blaise had asked. Draco stood, wincing from the pain of what was probably a broken rib or two, and limped out of the closet. He felt what was probably blood slide down his stomach. Blaise put his arm around Draco to support him and another person did the same. Draco looked and was shocked to see red hair.

"She-weasel?" Draco asked, certain he was hallucinating.

"Oh shut up ferret," she replied, giving him an elbow to the ribs.

Definitely she-weasel, he thought with a wince. Why the hell was she helping him?

They began to walk, with Draco leaning heavily on both of them. His head drooped down so when they stopped, he snapped it up to see why. Weasel and Potty were across from them, wands pointed at the trio.

"Where the bloody hell are you taking our prisoner?" Ron asked angrily. "He's going back to Azkaban where he belongs."

"No, he is not," Ginny said. "Blaise, take Malfoy a moment."

She slipped out from under Malfoy's arm and Blaise steadied Malfoy upright. "You're probably going to want to watch this," Blaise whispered.

Draco looked up to see Ginny with her own wand pointed at Harry and Ron. What the hell kind of alternate universe had he stepped in to?

"Malfoy is going to St. Mungo's," Ginny told them. "Do you want to know why he's going to St. Mungo's?"

"Ginny, lower your wand," Harry said cautiously, hands raised in surrender. The last thing he wanted was to further anger his already pissed off wife even if he had no idea why she was helping Malfoy. "Why is Malfoy going to St. Mungo's instead of Azkaban where we were ordered to take him?"

"Go find Kingsley," she replied, her wand still pointed at her brother and her husband. "Your orders changed when he found out that you were trying to put the man who saved your best friend's life in jail."

Draco looked at Blaise in shock. He'd saved Granger's life? Blaise nodded and whispered, "I'll explain later."

Draco nodded in response and return his attention to the argument in front of him.

"But he was covered in her blood Gin," Ron was saying. "You didn't see, she was hurt and he did it."

"Because he held his hands over her head wound so she wouldn't bleed to death you great git," Ginny shouted. "Did you even bother to find out what happened before you arrested him?"

"We, er, we thought we knew what happened," Harry said. "We didn't exactly believe Malfoy when he said he'd tried to help her."

"Well now you can believe me," Ginny told them, lowering her wand. "Hermione sent me straight to Blaise's office the minute she found out you two had arrested Malfoy. She's going to be fine, by the way, not that either of you bothered to ask."

Harry and Ron lowered their heads in shame and Draco watched with fascination and both grown men caved to the tiny red head. "We're sorry Gin," Ron said.

"Don't apologize to me," Ginny said. "Apologize to him."

Draco realized she was pointing at him. There was no way in hell they'd apologize to him, he thought. Not even for her.

"Gin, you can't be serious," Harry said. "He's, he's...Malfoy."

"And he's the reason Hermione is alive," Ginny snapped. "So you can apologize AND say thank you."

Both Ron and Harry looked at Ginny and when she went to raise her wand, both quickly mumbled, "Sorry Malfoy, uh, thanks."

Malfoy nodded tersely. He would have made a comment about them being wimps but he was in too much pain. He could feel the blood sliding down his body and through his shirt.

"Let's get you to St. Mungo's," Blaise said, shifting Draco so he was leaning more sturdily against him.

Ginny slipped back under Malfoy's arm and helped Blaise get him to fireplaces. Together the three of them flooed to St. Mungo's. They landed in the waiting area and Draco groaned from the impact.

"I've got him," Blaise said. "You go check on Hermione."

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked. "I can at least help you get him to a room."

"Just go, Weasley," Malfoy said. "And, uh, thanks, I guess."

"You used my name," Ginny said looking at him in shock. "And said thank you. You must really be out of it."

Malfoy half laughed and replied, "Don't get used to it. The pain is talking, not me."

With a laugh, Blaise helped Draco to the main desk where he was quickly whisked away by two healers whom apparently had been waiting for him on Hermione's orders.

Ginny hurried to Hermione's room and found her awake and playing with James.

"Is Malfoy alright?" she asked as soon as Ginny stepped in the room.

"I don't think so," Ginny replied and Hermione looked stricken. "He called me Weasley and told me thank you."

Hermione laughed at her friend's surprised face. "Is he hurt?" she wanted to know.

"Yes," Ginny told her honestly. "But he's here now, Blaise took him up to the desk and two healers grabbed him the minute they heard Malfoy."

"Good," Hermione said. "I'm going to have to have a talk with Ron and Harry."

"No need," Ginny said and cheerfully recounted everything that happened to Hermione.

"You're amazing Gin," Hermione said with a smile. "They actually apologized?"

"They did," she confirmed. "Now, you get some rest. I'm going to take my son and we're going to go have a nice relaxing evening. I haven't had this much excitement since the final battle."

Hermione and Ginny embraced and Ginny and James left. Alone, Hermione pondered everything that had happened that day. Whether he meant to or not, Draco Malfoy had saved her life. Maybe Luna was right, she thought with a smile, as she laid down in the hospital bed, maybe there was some good in Draco Malfoy. Hermione fell asleep with a smile on her face.

As Hermione fell asleep, three doors down the hall, the healers had just finished healing Draco and he'd been cleared to go home. Blaise helped him out of the hospital bed and looked at him.

"You look like hell."

"Yeah well, we can't all be pretty like you after a day like today now can we?" Malfoy replied.

"Sure, sure," Blaise replied. "Come on, let's get you home."

They left St. Mungo's and flooed back to the Manor. Draco headed straight for the shower and Blaise went in to the kitchens to find food. Draco stripped down and got in the shower. As the hot water poured over him, he realized that he had cuts and a gash on his stomach that were bloody. He could also see the faint marks where Hermione's blood had soaked through his shirt and onto his skin. He watched at the blood washed away and rolled down the drain, his blood mixed with hers, and he was struck by a thought that made him stagger. He couldn't tell whose blood was whose. He began to scrub at his skin, trying to get her blood...his blood...their blood off his body. But it was the same. It was exactly the same. They both bled. Like there wasn't a difference between them at all.

No, Draco thought, pushing the thoughts violently from his mind. Even if their blood looked the same, it clearly wasn't. Even if the magic ran through both their veins, it obviously wasn't the same. It couldn't be the same. Frustrated he turned off the water and got out of the shower. He grabbed a towel from the rack above the toilet and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He looked different he realized. Less...harsh, but more tired. Was he changing? Deciding he'd had enough life revelations for one day, he threw on a pair of pants and walked into the kitchen where Blaise had a drink waiting for him. He sat down at the table and they sipped their drinks in silence.

"What made you give up what you believe in?" Draco asked, avoiding looking directly at Blaise. "Give up what we spend our entire lives being taught was true?"

Blaise looked surprised by the question and took a moment to think before responding.

"I guess meeting Gina was the push over the edge, you know?" he said. "But before I met her, I'd already started to change. Blood status was always important to my family but we never thought that Muggles and Muggleborns should be killed. That's why we stayed neutral during the war. We didn't really agree with either side. But after the war, everyone was so affected by it. Pureblood, Muggleborn, half Muggleborn, whatever, everyone was dealing with death, and loss and all of a sudden, it didn't matter anymore. We all ended up the same amount of fucked up, winning side or losing."

The lapsed back into silence as Draco thought about what Blaise had said. This time though, Blaise broke the silence.

"Are you having doubts?"

"No," Draco replied quickly. "Just trying to learn what the other side thinks like so I can trick Granger into thinking I'm 'reformed'."

Blaise stared at Draco and Draco stared at his glass. Blaise sat back, raised his glass to his lips, but lowered it to say, "if you have any more questions about how 'the other side' thinks, let me know."

Draco finished his drink in response and stood. "I'm going to bed. You can see yourself out," he said and walked out of the kitchen. Blaise sat for another moment, thinking about what Draco had said. Blaise had honestly thought Luna had gone off the deep end when she pronounced Draco ready for the final phase of rehabilitation but now he wasn't so sure. Maybe Luna saw something in Draco the rest of them had missed, that even Draco himself had missed. Blaise rose from the table and made his way through the Manor and out the front door. He walked to the disapparation point and apparated home, anxious to see his wife and tell her about Draco's questions.

* * *

A/N: I've gotten some really awesome reviews, it means so much to me that people are reading and enjoying the story! :)


	10. Chapter 10

Much to Hermione's dismay, the severity of her injuries required her to stay as a patient in St. Mungo's for three more days per Erin's orders. She would be allowed to do her rounds and that was it. No one, however, informed Draco of this so the following day he showed up at Hermione's lab, ready to work, only to find there was no one there. He waited for twenty minutes before walking out of the lab and taking the lift to the main floor. There he was informed that Hermione was still checked in as a patient but was seeing visitors if he wanted to go up. The MediWitch gave him Hermione's room number before bustling away to greet other patients. The last thing Draco wanted was to see her but he also wanted to yell at her for not bothering to inform him that she wouldn't be working. With that thought in mind, he strode through the hallways until he reached her door. He knocked before letting himself in.

Hermione heard the knock at her door and quickly hid the book and parchment she'd had out under her pillow. She was shocked when she saw it was Malfoy who came through the door.

"Skipping work for a little headache, Granger?" he said, skipping pleasantries. "How very lazy of you."

"Oh hush, Malfoy," she replied. "You know as well as anyone that if I wasn't under strict healer orders to remain in this room I'd be down in the lab working."

"So what am I supposed to do?" he wanted to know. "I can't very well go about working with you if you're here and not there."

"Actually," Hermione said biting her lip. "There was something I wanted to ask you."

"Whatever it is, the answer is most likely no," he replied.

Hermione pulled the book and parchment out from under her pillow and held them out to Draco. He scowled at them but moved forward and took them from her. "What's this rubbish?"

"I need you to brew this potion," she told him. "You have to follow my instructions very precisely otherwise it may not work."

"Finally, the reason I was supposed to be a part of this bloody project," Draco said looking at the parchment. "What is this? I've never seen these ingredients combined together before."

"I created it," Hermione said proudly. "It needs to be mixed right away though and since I'm here I obviously can't do it."

"When did you decide you trusted me, Granger?" Malfoy looked at her suspiciously. "You wouldn't let me within a hundred meters of your precious work and now you're asking me to be a part of it."

"You saved my life," Hermione said matter of factly. "This is how I'm repaying you."

"I did it to save my arse, not to be nice or anything like that" Draco told her. "If you'd died they would have pinned it on me for sure."

"Either way," Hermione said waving her hands in dismissal. "You did and I'm grateful and confined to this room, so you'll have to work with me."

"Fine," Malfoy said. "I assume you want this done now?"

"Yes," Hermione replied excited. "Bring it straight here as soon as you're done."

"Yes, Granger," he said in a mocking tone. "Anything else while I'm busy doing your work for you?"

"You could brew them all, actually," Hermione said thoughtfully. "You're supposed to be a brilliant potions master, let's see if you actually are."

"All of what?" Draco asked looking at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"All of the potions in the book," she replied. "There's only six others, they're right at the front, the rest are just ideas for others."

Malfoy stared at her in disbelief. "You want me to spend today brewing seven different potions?"

"Yes!" Hermione said. "Then I no longer owe you, we are working together as your rehabilitation requires, and if you screw up, well, let's just hope that doesn't happen."

Unsure of how to respond or react Draco simply stared at her for another minute, then at the parchment and the book, then back at her. Then, without a word, walked out of the room.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief as soon as he left. She was hoping that if she surprised him, he wouldn't argue and it had worked. He didn't even ask what the potions were for, which was a question she wasn't prepared to answer. But now, her patients would have what they needed, Malfoy would have what he needed, and she would too.

As Hermione congratulated herself, a very confused Draco made his way down to Hermione's lab. Why the hell had she all of a sudden decided he would be allowed to brew not just one but seven potions, one of which Hermione herself had never brewed. She did hit her head, he rationed. Perhaps it had knocked more than a few screws loose. She was probably temporarily insane, he decided. And he'd be a fool not to take advantage of it. It felt like it had been years since he'd brewed a potion and he was itching to do it. He got down to Hermione's lab area and, once inside, realized he had absolutely no idea where she brewed potions. He wandered through the lab and found what looked a great deal like Snape's potions classroom at Hogwarts. "This isn't creepy at all," he muttered to himself. He walked to the back of the room where there was an open doorway. He walked through and his jaw dropped at the sight. The room was massive and had shelves from floor to ceiling. But it wasn't the room that shocked him but how empty the shelves were. He walked through looking at the labels seeing that even the most basic ingredients were severely depleted. Draco looked for the ingredients that he needed and found just enough to make the potion Hermione had created. Shaking his head he walked back into the potions room and made a mental note to yell at Hermione for not keeping her potions room properly stocked. He grabbed the equipment that he needed and set to work brewing the potion. It wasn't complicated, as far as he could tell, but it required a very specific order of ingredients. Slowly he began the process of brewing the potion. Once he reached a point where it had to boil, he began the other potions in the book, surprised that he'd never heard of any of them either. He moved back and forth between all of the potions smoothly like a dancer. He muttered to himself every once in a while but he was so wrapped up in what he was doing he completely lost track of time. Six hours later Draco was exhausted but all of the potions were done exactly to Hermione's directions. He put them all in vials and, as soon as he was done, Linda appeared in the doorway.

"Hermione asked me to take the potions to Luna," she said. "All but the, uh, special one?"

"What are these for?" Draco asked her.

"I don't know," Linda replied.

"You don't know?" Draco answered, agitated. "How do you not know?"

"Hermione is the only one who brews them," she said with a shrug. "Then she leaves with them."

Draco paused at that. She let him do something no one else did? His day was getting stranger and stranger. He took the vial that contained Hermione's new potion and left the rest for Linda to deal with.

"Clean this up," he told her and walked out of the room.

He liked interns, he decided. They were useful. He walked out of Hermione's lab area and made his way back to her room. He knocked and walked in to her room to find her fast asleep. She had a book open next to her and she'd curled herself around it. It was the first time he'd seen her completely relaxed he realized. It was also the first time he'd really had the opportunity to look at her. She was beautiful, shocking himself with the realization. Obviously he'd inhaled too many potions fumes. Either that or he was slowly losing his mind. He wasn't sure which he preferred. Unsure of what to do he cleared his throat and her eyes fluttered open. For a moment she just stared at him and he couldn't help but stare back. She'd been dreaming about him, she couldn't remember what, but seeing the real him meshed with the dream version and she couldn't help but stare. She looked away first, blushing a little and sitting up in the bed.

"I guess I fell asleep reading my book," she said sheepishly. "Did you need something?"

Draco didn't answer for a minute as he continued to stare at her. "Malfoy?"

He snapped out of it. "I brewed that potion you created," he said, taking it out of the pocket of his robe. "Here it is."

"Oh, thank you!" Hermione jumped out of her bed and raced to him. She took the vial from his hand and their fingers brushed. Draco felt a shiver run down his spine. He looked to see if Hermione felt something similar but she was excitedly chattering about the potion.

"It looks perfect!" she exclaimed. "I hope it works!"

She walked over to her bed and taking her wand from the stand next to the bed muttered a quick spell and the vial disappeared.

"Where did you just send that?" Draco wanted to know.

"To Luna," she said. "Did you brew the other potions as well?"

"Yes, your intern, Lucinda, took them," he replied.

"Linda," Hermione said with a laugh. "Her name is Linda."

"It hardly matters," he answered. "I left her to clean everything up as well."

"Malfoy!" Hermione scolded. "They're there to learn, not to clean up after you."

"Well she did," was his answer and they lapsed into awkward silence. It was the first time they'd had anything close to a normal conversation they both realized, and Draco immediately sought to rectify that.

"So who did you steal those potions in the book from?" Draco asked, meaning to sound nasty but it instead came out almost curious.

"I created them as well," Hermione told him. "Anything brewed in that lab is my creation."

Her mention of the lab reminded him about the poorly stocked ingredients room. "Well it must be difficult to do that without ingredients," he replied. "Bloody hell Granger you're out of everything."

"I use the majority of the funds I'm given from St. Mungo's and the Ministry for...other expenses," she answered vaguely. "There isn't a lot left for potions materials."

"What did you do with the 20,000 galleons Blaise gave you for last month?" He asked incredulously. "And I'm sure he's given you this months by now. Where is my bloody money going?"

Hermione turned her back to him and mumbled her answer.

"Oh come on, Granger," he said. "Face me and tell me."

"I said it's sitting in a vault in Gringotts," she replied, turning to face him again.

"What the bloody hell is it doing there?" He asked exasperated. "My pure blood money is too good for you?"

"I felt guilty accepting your money, Malfoy," she snapped. "You didn't even want me to have it so I was going to return it to you once the six months was over."

"How do I access the money?" he asked angrily. "How would I get it?"

"You want it now?" She replied surprised. "Very well, let's go to Gringotts in the morning and I'll release it to you."

"What's wrong with now?"

"Malfoy it's almost 8pm, surely you can wait until tomorrow to get your money," she answered surprised by his behavior.

"Fine," he said. "I'll be here at 9am and we'll go immediately."

"Fine, Malfoy," she said wearily. "Will you go now? I'm quite tired."

"9am, Granger, be ready." And he walked out of the room. She hadn't used the money, he thought. And they say she's the smartest witch of their year.

He was in quite a rush to get his money back, Hermione thought bitterly. Maybe he hadn't changed at all. With a sigh she grabbed her wand and the bag Ginny had brought her earlier in the day. She checked herself out of St. Mungo's and went home. She crawled in to bed and, across London, Malfoy did the same. Each fell asleep thinking of the other.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning Draco arrived at St. Mungo's to find Hermione already waiting for him in the main waiting area. She rose from the chair she was in when she saw him and walked past him back to the fireplace. He followed her silence. They flooed to Diagon Alley and walked through the streets in silence. It was early enough that the streets were still empty but the few people who did see them together gaped at them. Ignoring the stares, the pair made their way quickly to their destination. Hermione walked into Gringotts ahead of Malfoy and approached the goblin sitting at the head of the room. Griphook leered at them until he realized it was Hermione.

"Ms. Granger, good morning," he said then looked behind her at Draco. "You usually keep better company."

Draco glared at Griphook in response and Hermione smiled a little. "I need to access vault 1642 please Griphook."

"Very well," Griphook replied. "I'll take you personally. It would be a terrible thing if something happened to you and your...companion."

Hermione glanced at Draco for a moment before following Griphook.

Great, Draco thought. The goblin is going to kill me.

The three walked into the depths of the bank and a few minutes later, arrived in front of the vault. Hermione stepped out and handed Griphook the key. Draco stepped out behind them, nearly falling when the cart lurched forward. Griphook's lips curled into a grin and, turning his back to Draco, opened the vault. Hermione stepped into the vault and turned to Draco.

"Your gold is on the left," she told him, pointing.

Malfoy walked up to the stack of gold and pulled a pouch out of the pocket of his robe. He dropped about $10,000 galleons in it (obviously having placed an extendable charm on the bag prior to losing the use of his wand) and walked back out of the vault. Hermione stared at his back, puzzled.

"You didn't take all of it," she said. "Would you like me to have it transferred?"

"No," Draco replied curtly and carefully got back in the cart. When she didn't move, he looked at her and said, "Are you coming?"

Hermione looked at Griphook, shrugged her shoulders, and got in. A few minutes later they were back in Diagon Alley with Hermione walking quickly to catch up to Draco.

"Where are you going?" she asked. "Why didn't you take the rest of your money?"

Draco ignored her and kept walking until he reached the Apothecary. Hermione paused a minute before following him in. The store was brightly lit and full of vials, bottles, and other odds and ends. Draco was at the back of the store speaking in a low voice with the owner. Hermione walked up to them and caught the tail end of their conversation.

"It will take a few days to get this order together Mr. Malfoy," the shopkeeper was saying.

"How much for you to have it today?" he asked. "I'm sure you're aware money isn't an issue."

Hermione looked at him curiously. He looked a great deal like the pureblood aristocrat she knew and hated, even sounded like it too. Draco was obviously buying something in the Apothecary, something he wanted urgently enough to have that day, perhaps something for his mother? Or for Blaise. He'd dragged her to the bank with him but that was probably because he needed the money for whatever it was. What was he doing?

"An extra $1,000 galleons," the shopkeeper told him. "And I will have the entire order ready and delivered wherever you need it."

"Excellent," Draco replied, dropping the pouch on the counter between them. "This ought to cover it all. See that the bag is returned when the items are delivered."

Not bothering the count, the shopkeeper slipped the bag into his pocket. "Where shall I send everything?"

"St. Mungo's," he said, making sure he avoided looking at Hermione. "To the care of Healer Hermione Granger, no one else."

Hermione's mouth dropped at the sound of her name. Ingredients, she realized. He'd spent nearly 10,000 galleons on ingredients.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy," the shopkeeper said. "A pleasure doing business with you."

The shopkeeper disappeared into the back of the shop and Draco walked passed Hermione and out the door. Hermione stood there for a minute, stunned, before she rushed out after him. She had to run but she caught up with him outside The Leaky Cauldron.

"Malfoy, wait!" she shouted.

She nearly collided with him when he stopped and turned around.

"Why didn't you just tell me what you were doing?" she wanted to know.

"Would you have used the money?" he asked angrily. "Would you have ever used the money?"

"No," Hermione replied. "It's yours."

"Given to you, to use, for your research," he snapped. "It's just money, does it really matter that it came from me?"

"No," Hermione told him hesitantly. "But you didn't want me to have it, so I didn't feel like I should use it."

"Well you have it, so bloody use it," he shouted at her and stormed into The Leaky Cauldron.

Flustered, Hermione started after him when she heard someone call her name. She turned to see Neville walking towards her. Torn between greeting her friend and going after Draco, she stayed where she was. Then, deciding it might be best to let Malfoy have some time to cool off before they saw each other that afternoon, she turned and smiled at Neville.

"Hello Neville!" she said brightly.

"Hi Hermione," he replied. "I was just going to meet Harry, Ginny, and Ron for lunch, are you joining us? They said they'd invited you."

"Yes, of course," she answered. "I must have missed their owl. Where are we going?"

"Cho's opened up a restaurant here," he told her. "She's saved us a table."

"That sounds wonderful!" Hermione replied and giving one last look over her shoulder in the direction Malfoy had gone, linked her arm through Neville's. "Lead the way."


	12. Chapter 12

Five minutes later Hermione and Neville walked in to Cho's restaurant. It was in an old brick building and on the inside, wooden tables and chairs gave the restaurant a homey feel. They spotted Ron, Ginny, and Harry immediately and made their way through the crowded restaurant to them.

"Hermione, I'm so glad you could make it!" Ginny said, popping out of her chair to give her, then Neville a hug. "We were worried when Pigwidgeon couldn't find you."

"I checked myself out of St. Mungo's last night," Hermione told them, as she and Neville sat. "And then I was up early this morning to go to Gringotts with Malfoy."

"Why were you with Malfoy?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Well, we had a bit of spat yesterday about the money he's given me," Hermione explained. "I thought I was meeting him this morning to give it back."

"You thought?" Harry asked. "What happened instead?"

"We went to Gringotts, he took out 10,000 galleons, and then bought ingredients for my lab," she told them. "Enough to last me a while. Then he got angry and stormed off."

"I thought that was him you were with," Neville said. "But I thought perhaps I was imagining it."

"How's working with him been?" Ron asked. "He hasn't been nasty to you has he?"

"At first, yes," Hermione replied. "But lately, I don't know."

"Oh no," Ginny said, looking closely at Hermione. "I know that tone."

"He's different," Hermione insisted. "Still Malfoy, still an obnoxious prat, but, I don't know, he's just...different."

"You can't help him Hermione," Harry told her. "He's a lost cause."

"But what if he's not?" Hermione insisted. "Maybe there's some good in Draco Malfoy."

"Don't hold your breath," Ron snorted. "He's a Death Eater Hermione, he tortured us in school, don't forget that."

"Pansy tortured Hermione in school," Ginny pointed out. "You expect us to forget that."

"That's different!" Ron sputtered. "Don't tell me you're on her side with this?"

"I still don't like Malfoy," Ginny replied. "But when he was injured after you fools wrongfully arrested him, he said thank you and called me by my name. And he saved Hermione."

"He helped Hermione to save his own skin," Harry argued. "He didn't do it out of the goodness of his heart."

"Regardless," Ginny said. "Maybe all he needs is a second chance."

"Not bloody likely," Ron muttered.

"Ginny's right," Hermione chimed in. "I'm not going to let my guard down but I am going to see where this goes. After all, I do have to work with him for several more months."

When no one objected, she continued. "Now, Neville, tell me what you've been up to."

From there the conversation moved to more pleasant topics. Neville talking about teaching at Hogwarts, Ginny and Harry recounting James' antics, Ron sharing stories about George and the joke shop. Hermione smiled and laughed with her friends but found she couldn't focus completely. Her thoughts kept wandering to Draco. Something had changed with him. She couldn't pinpoint what but she something about him was different. Something of what she felt for him had changed too, she added mentally. She'd see him this afternoon, she thought. They could talk then and she would find out why he was so angry. She tuned back into the conversation at the table and gave her friends her full attention for the rest of lunch.

Draco was pissed. He didn't know why he was pissed. But he was pissed. He'd stormed through The Leaky Cauldron and flooed straight to Blaise's office. When Blaise wasn't there he went into his bottom desk drawer where he knew Blaise kept the Scotch and started drinking. When Blaise arrived back at his office two hours later he found an empty bottle of Scotch and very drunk Draco sitting at his desk waiting for him.

"Didn't save any for me?" he asked, closing his office door behind him and setting down his bag.

"Drank. All," was Draco's response. "Fuck."

"You might telling me why you're in my office, piss drunk at," Blaise looked at his watch. "Noon?"

"Bloooooody Granger-sh," he slurred.

"Ah," Blaise said walking to his friend. "What's she done?"

"Shedidn'tusethemoney," he said indignantly. "Noneofthemoney."

"Does that really surprise you?" Blaise asked, barely able to interpret what Draco was saying. "She's got that Gryffindor sense of right and wrong, taking money from someone who didn't want to give it falls under the wrong category for her."

"Bloody shtupid," he mumbled. "Schmy money, Malfoy money issshhh bad."

"Uh, yes?" Blaise replied, unsure of what Draco was trying to say. "Come on mate, let's get you home. I'm out of Sober Up potions."

"Nohome," Draco said, shaking his head, then grasping the desk as his world began to spin. "Mother re-do."

Blaise took a minute to figure out what he was saying. "Your mother is having the house re-done?" he translated. "Today?"

Draco nodded dumbly and then reached for the empty bottle.

"Alright," Blaise said. "We'll take you to my house. On one condition."

"Schwhat?" Draco asked.

"Gina is there," Blaise told him. "You have to promise me you won't say anything to upset her."

"The blood is the all blood," Draco mumbled. "Bloody blood blood."

"I'll take that as a yes," Blaise said. "Come on, let's get you out of here."

Blaise half carried, half levitated Draco to the Wizengamot floo. A few minutes later, Blaise had him spread out on the couch and Draco was fast asleep.

"He looks so harmless and nice like this," Gina said, tucking a blanket around Draco. "I think I like him this way."

Blaise laughed and pulled his wife into a hug. "Are you sure this is okay?"

"Yes," she said, pulling back from the hug to look at her husband. "I think it'd be good for him, especially hungover him, to spend some time with his best friend's muggle born wife."

"Go easy on him, Gina," Blaise replied, knowing his wife had a nasty streak when it came to people she didn't like. "For me?"

"Fine," she said and gave him a quick kiss.

"Can you floo call Hermione and tell her he won't be in today?" he asked. "Tell her he's sick or something."

"Sure," Gina replied. "I can't tell her he's passed out drunk on our couch?"

"No," Blaise said. "He'd hate you for it."

"If you insist," Gina answered. "Go back to work and save the world."

Blaise reluctantly let go of his wife and walked back to the floo. "Be nice!" he said and disappeared. Gina floo called Hermione but she wasn't there so she sent her an owl with a note that Draco wasn't well and sat down in the recliner across from the couch with a book and waited for him to wake up.

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A/N: Draco, Draco, Draco. What a complicated fellow ;) Review, review!


	13. Chapter 13

He wasn't coming. Hermione sat at her desk and stared at the piece of parchment written in Gina's neat script, informing her that he was under the weather. She knew it had to be at least partially true, Gina would never lie to her, especially not for him. She'd get more work done this way, she thought. She would need more potions soon so she rose from her desk and began to walk.

Well he wasn't dead but he certainly felt close. That was Draco's first thought when he opened his eyes and immediately closed them again. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was sitting in Blaise's office drinking, nothing after that. He slowly opened one eye and saw Gina staring back at him. So he'd ended up at Blaise's, that wasn't so bad.

"Good evening, sunshine!" Gina said loudly and grinned when she saw Draco wince. "Or should I say good evening since you slept away the majority of the day."

"What?" Draco's voice came out hoarse. "What time is it?"

"A little after 7pm," she replied cheerfully. "Can I get you anything?"

"Water," he croaked. "Lots."

With a loud laugh, Gina conjured a glass of water from the kitchen and handed it to Draco. Realizing he'd have to sit up to drink it, Draco gingerly moved himself into a sitting position. He drank the glass of water in one gulp and looked pleadingly at Gina for more.

"Gosh you Slytherins are pathetic when it comes to your hangovers," she told him but she waived her wand and the glass refilled. Draco drank four more glasses of water before he felt he could talk.

"I need to get home," he told her.

"Why?" Gina asked sweetly. "Can't stand being around a muggle born?"

"I told Blaise I'd be nice," he replied. "So I'm not going to answer that."

"Get over yourself," Gina suggested. "Because this muggle born is currently the one taking care of you."

"I need to check on my mother," he said. "She had a busy day."

"Oh, that's right, Blaise said to tell you that your mother had a 'moment' but he took care of it. He also said not to ask you what that meant."

Draco jumped to his feet but nearly vomited and collapsed back on to the couch. "I need to make sure she's okay."

"You need to lay back down," Gina told him, now concerned. "Blaise is with your mother right now, I'm sure she's fine."

"You don't understand," Draco said, closing his eyes and trying to steady his breathing. "She...she has a problem. From the war."

"Well right now you have a problem," Gina replied. "A massive hangover. And while I was going to let you suffer, I'll go get you a potion so you can go home."

"Thank you," Draco said, sinking back into the couch. When he didn't hear movement, he opened one eye and Gina was staring at him.

"What?"

"You said thank you," she said in surprise.

"Why is everyone so bloody surprised when I'm polite?" Draco demanded.

"Probably because you actively hate people like me and don't think we're worthy of our magic," Gina replied. "And don't think I haven't heard the way you treated Hermione when you lot were in school. You're a bully and an ass. At least you used to be."

"Tell me how you really feel," he mumbled under his breath. "Look, I believe what I believe but you're my best friend's wife and I made a promise to him that I'd be nice to you. This is me keeping a promise, nothing more."

"Fine," Gina said turning away from him. "I'll get you that potion."

She returned a minute later and handed Draco the potion. He drank it and instantly felt better.

"What was that?" he asked. "Normal hangover potions take a half hour to work."

"You can thank Hermione when you see her," Gina told him. "She came up with it."

"Of course she did," he muttered. "Comes up with bloody everything else."

"Weren't you going home?" Gina asked with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Yes, yes, I'm leaving," Draco said. He flooed from Blaise's house to his own, grateful the Ministry had allowed Blaise to set up a floo connection between their homes.

"Jake!" he yelled, calling for his family house elf, realizing he hadn't seen any of the house elves since he'd moved home. The elf appeared in a bright orange dress. "What the? Jake, where are Blaise and my mother?"

"In mistress Narcissa's bedroom sir!" the elf squeaked. "Does master need anything?"

"Make dinner," Draco instructed. "Blaise and I will eat in the small dining room."

"Yes master!" Jake said and disappeared.

Draco walked through the Manor and quickly made his way to his mother's room. He knocked, then walked in. His mother was in bed, sitting up, talking and laughing with Blaise, who had pulled up a chair next to her bed.

"Hello mother," Draco said walking up to her and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Why does Jake have a dress?"

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you for asking" Narcissa replied. "I freed all of the house elves after the war ended. The ones who are here are the ones who stayed and receive a salary. Honestly, is this the first time you've noticed? Have you seen the rooms darling? I'm sure the renovators did a wonderful job."

"I didn't notice, no," he answered. "As for the manor, I came straight here. Mother why would you free the house elves? Why would you pay them? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Draco I'm fine," she insisted. "Blaise got me into bed and it passed. Go look at the house, please? Make sure everything was done properly. Take Blaise with you. And do forget about the house elves, the matter is finished and not something up for discussion. "

"I'd love to see the renovations, Narcissa," Blaise said. "Come on mate, let's go."

Draco looked at his mother and looked as if he wanted to say something but decided against it and led Blaise out of the room. He'd learned years before not to disobey his mother even though she'd obviously gone a bit crazy for freeing and paying the house elves. Together, the two men wandered through the Manor.

"It doesn't even look like the same place," Blaise said.

"That's what mother wanted," Draco replied. "Cover up the wall paper, cover up the bad memories, cover up the fact that the darkest wizard of our time lived here."

They lapsed into silence as they finished walking through the Manor.

"Were you nice to Gina?" Blaise asked.

"I tried to be," he said. "She certainly didn't make it easy."

"I told her to go easy on you," Blaise said with a sigh. "She ran an orphanage during the war. Death Eaters burned it to the ground. She managed to get all of the kids out before they got there but she's hated them ever since."

"The orphanage in Bristol?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Blaise said surprised but then looked at his friend in horror. "Draco tell me you weren't there."

"I wasn't," Draco replied, trying to quell the uneasy feeling in his stomach. "But I remember the order being given. The Dark Lord got word that a muggle born witch was running a home for kids. The orders were to kill the witch and bring the kids."

"What happened?" Blaise asked, his rage bubbling just below the surface.

"The Carrows decided the kids weren't worth it," Draco told him hollowly. "So they decided everyone should burn. So that's what they did."

Suddenly Blaise shoved Draco and Draco fell to the floor.

"What the hell?" Draco shouted.

"Tell me your side was the right side," Blaise shouted, the anger pulsing from him. "Tell me that fighting for a side that would kill an innocent woman and forty kids had the right ideas about what our world should be like."

Draco said nothing.

"TELL ME," Blaise raved. "TELL ME HOW THE SIDE THAT TRIED TO KILL THE WOMAN WHO BECAME MY WIFE WAS RIGHT JUST BECAUSE SHE WASN'T A PUREBLOOD."

"It was war, Blaise," Draco said heatedly. "You weren't there, you don't know what it was like to serve him."

"I know people DIED rather than serve Voldemort," Blaise said. "I know Severus Snape served as a spy because he would have rather been killed for being a traitor to that side than live in a world where Voldemort could have ruled. Tell me your side was right, tell me that you gave years of your life to the right side, tell me everything you were taught was right. TELL ME."

"It's what I was taught," was all Draco could bring himself to say. "I was taught it was right, I can't change what I was taught, what I think."

"And that's where you're wrong mate," Blaise said running his hand through his hair. "You're changing and you don't even realize it. And I hope to hell you realize it soon."

With that, Blaise turned his heel and walked away, leaving Draco sitting on the floor.

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A/N: I start school tomorrow so I may be a little slower with the uploads but the story is DONE, it's just a matter of me uploading it online! Reviews make for an excellent motivator for uploading! :)


	14. Chapter 14

Draco didn't show up to work for the next week and Hermione was starting to worry. He'd owled her personally each day and told her he was still sick and couldn't come in. She couldn't imagine what kind of illness he had that would keep him away for four days but she went about her research as she had before Malfoy had come to work there. She spent hours in the Archives, searching for more information about the Cruciatus curse. She spent a whole afternoon organizing the potions ingredients room after Draco's massive shipment had arrived that afternoon. She had enough to last her for months so she set about brewing the potions she would need. But it wasn't the same. She missed him, she realized. It was nice to have someone to talk to and to work with who was her intellectual equal. With a sigh, she set to work on a new batch of potions, hoping Draco would show up to work the following day.

Draco however had no intention of ever going back to work. It had taken him an hour to get up off the floor where Blaise had left him and when he did, the first thing he did was grab a glass of Whiskey and he'd been drunk since. His mother tried to talk to him, tried to get him to sober up, but he merely ignored her and kept drinking. Even Jake the house elf had tried to get him to stop but he threatened to take away Jake's orange dress and Jake caved and gave Draco more alcohol. As long as he was drunk, everything was numb he thought. And that was exactly how he wanted to be. Completely numb. He stumbled to the liquor cabinet to pour himself another drink when the door to his bedroom swung open. He turned to see who it was and he nearly dropped his glass when he saw who it was.

"You look like hell," Pansy Parkinson said.

"People keep telling me that," Draco said pouring himself another drink.

"Perhaps you should take the hint," Pansy said, walking over to him and taking the glass from him. She set it down and grasped his shoulders. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too Pans," he replied and submitted when she enveloped him in a hug.

"Now," she said, pulling away and looking at him with a critical eye. "Tell me what's wrong with you."

"Is that why you're here?" he asked bitterly, shoving her away and picking the glass back up. "Come to fix me?"

"If you need fixing, absolutely." Pansy said brightly. "If you need another drink, absolutely not." She took the cup from him and tossed it out of reach. "What's going on Draco?" she asked, teasing voice gone. "Your mother is worried about you, I'm worried about you."

"Tell me about you Pans," Draco replied, knowing he could easily distract Pansy by getting her to talk about herself and shopping.

"I've been working and spending time with my boyfriend," Pansy told him. "I think we're going to move in together."

Draco's jaw hit the floor. "What?"

"Oh haven't you heard?" she said with a laugh as she walked across the room and sat down on the edge of his bed. "I'm reformed."

"Yeah," Draco said with a laugh, sitting down next to her. "I am too."

"I really am, Draco," she said quietly. "We were so wrong. What we were taught-"

"If that's why you're here, I don't want to hear it," he replied, cutting her off.

"So I'll tell you about me instead," Pansy said, smoothly transitioning away from it. "I've been working as a photographer. I work independently and I sell my photographs to galleries and private collectors, both muggle and wizard."

"That's, -er, great," Draco answered. "Really great, I'm glad you've found a hobby."

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Pansy huffed. "I said it's my job, it's how I afford everything. I pay for my things, no one else."

"Surely the bloke you're dating pays for something," Draco said.

"He pays for our dates, that's it," Pansy said. "I don't need him to pay for anything."

Draco was surprised. The Pansy he'd been friends with in school and during the war had always relied on other people, usually men, to do everything for her. "Tell me about the bloke you're seeing then," he said.

"He's a wonderful man," Pansy replied with a smile. "He treats me very well, he makes me laugh, and he's the first one to tell me when I'm being a bitch."

"He sounds perfect for you," Draco admitted. "When do I get to meet him?"

"Actually, you already know him," Pansy told him.

"Who is it?" Draco asked, facing her.

Pansy looked him dead in the eye and said, "Ron Weasley."

Draco burst out laughing for the first time in a long time. He laughed until he had tears streaming down his face. Pansy sat in silence, waiting for him to finish.

"That's great Pansy," he said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I needed a laugh. Now tell me, seriously, who are you dating?"

"I'm not joking," Pansy told him, completely straight faced. "We've been dating for about a year and I'm in love with him. He's in love with me. We're going to get a flat together. Maybe a dog too, I've always wanted one."

Draco stared at her. "You've changed," he said resigned, after several minutes of silence.

"Yes, I have," Pansy replied. "I like who I've become. I hope you can too."

At her words, Draco's face softened. "I've always liked who you were Pansy," he told her, taking her hand in his. "I have a feeling I'll like the new you even better."

A smile bloomed across Pansy's face and she threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she said. "That means a lot. Now, what's wrong with you?"

Draco immediately became sullen again. "Nothing is wrong, Pansy."

"You're lying to me," she said, poking him in the chest. "Don't lie to me, Draco Malfoy."

"Nothing is wrong," he told her. "Absolutely nothing."

"Fine," she said. "Don't tell me. But you can tell me or you can go to work tomorrow."

He looked up at her, surprised. "What?"

"You heard me," she said. "Tell me what's wrong or go to work tomorrow. Those are your two choices. Pick one."

"I'll go to work tomorrow," he lied. "Satisfied?"

"Yes," Pansy said with a smile. She got up from the bed and crouched in front of him. "I'll see you tomorrow at noon. We'll have lunch with your mother before we go." Behind her the liquor cabinet shifted slightly.

"Sounds good," Draco said, lying through his teeth, curiously eyeing the liquor cabinet. "See you then."

"See you tomorrow," Pansy replied with a smile and walked out of his room, shutting his bedroom door behind her with a loud bang. The sound of the door shutting was so loud, Draco couldn't hear the click of the lock.

Bloody fool, he thought. Some things would never change. Draco walked to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a drink. He knocked it back and it went down like water. He must have been drunker than he realized, he thought. He poured another drink and drank it down just as quickly. It went down like water as well. Too much like water. Draco poured another drink and stared in horror as the warm brown of the whiskey turned into crystal clear water. "What the hell?" he said out loud. He grabbed the bottle and tried to chug that but sure enough the minute the bottle hit his lips he could taste the water. The clever witch had charmed his liquor. Well that was just fine, he thought angrily, the good thing about being a Malfoy was that drinking ran in the family. There was alcohol in nearly every room of the house. He walked to his door and grabbed the door knob but it didn't budge.

"No, no, no, PANSY!" he screamed. "PANSY LET ME OUT!"

An envelope slid into the room under the door. Draco grabbed it and ripped it open.

 _This is for your own good._

 _Wear something nice for lunch._

 _xoxo Pansy_

"I'm going to kill you tomorrow during lunch," Draco shouted through the door. He stomped to the liquor cabinet but then remembered his alcohol was all water and he roared in frustration. Then he remembered that, while he couldn't use magic, he still had people who could.

"Jake!" he called. But Jake didn't appear. "Jake, come here right now." But still no Jake. Draco rushed back to the door and shouted, "JAKE I AM YOUR MASTER, YOU COME IN TO THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW."

"That's quite enough," came his mother's voice from the other side of the door. Draco leaned back against the wall and put his hands over his face.

"You're behaving like a child, Draco," his mother continued. "Honestly I expect better from you."

"Mother," Draco said through his hands. "Where is Jake?"

"Jake was ordered to leave the Manor until tomorrow at 11:30am and ignore all requests from you," Narcissa told him. "Did you really think Pansy wouldn't think of that?"

Draco groaned and slid to the floor. "What am I supposed to do until then Mother?"

"Sober up," Narcissa said. "Act like the man that you are, not the drunk snivelling asshole you've become."

Draco dropped his hands from his face when he heard his mother swear. He could remember one other time Narcissa had sworn at him and the memory sent a shiver down his spine. "Yes, mother."

"Good," Narcissa replied. "See you for lunch."

Draco listened as her footsteps echoed down the hall away from his room. He moved away from the door and laid down on the floor. He stayed there for a long time, sometimes thinking, other times just staring blankly at the ceiling. At some point during the night he moved from the floor to his bed where he fell asleep, his thoughts jumbled in his head.

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A/N: Procrastination = chapter upload! Law school is rough guys. Anyway, I received my first real, negative review yesterday and I have to say, I took it a little bit to heart. That being said, after that one I received several positive reviews that perked me right up. Good or bad, I appreciate people who take the time to write so thank you, thank you for the reviews, they mean a lot!


	15. Chapter 15

Draco woke up the next morning to a knocking at his door. Before he answered Pansy came into the room and stopped directly next to his bed.

"Get up!" she said cheerfully. "Lunch is in 20 minutes. That's enough time for you to shower and get dressed."

"Go away," Draco told her and rolled over.

With a flick of her wand, Pansy sent his covers into the air. "Up," she said. "Now."

Draco grumbled as he dragged himself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. He shut the door behind him. Ten minutes later he came out to find Pansy sitting on his bed.

"Get out so I can get dressed," he said.

"I will in a minute," Pansy said. She pointed to a set of dark green robes she'd set out. "Your mother says you've been wearing nothing but black. So I bought you those."

"I don't need you to shop for me," Draco told her, annoyed.

"Yes, you do," Pansy replied. She stood and walked to the door before turning back to look at him. "Don't be late," she said and walked out of the room.

Grudgingly, Draco dressed in the green robes and fixed his hair. Taking a breath, he walked out of his room and down into the small dining room. His mother sat at the head of the table and Pansy sat to her left. To his surprise, Blaise sat to the right of his mother. Draco took his seat at the other end of the table. Jake appeared and a moment later the table was brimming with food. With a snap of his fingers, Jake had the food plated and disappeared. They began to eat in silence. Draco noted there wasn't a trace of alcohol at the table.

"You look sober," Blaise said. "Heard you went on a bit of a bender."

"I'm fine," Draco replied. "I thought you were pissed at me."

"Draco, language," his mother admonished. "I asked Blaise to come so the two of you could make up after that dreadful spat you had."

"Are you still angry?" Draco asked Blaise.

"Are you still a jerk?" Blaise asked in return.

Draco laughed. "Yes, definitely."

"Well, lucky for both of us, I'm not still piss-angry," he quickly amended after a look from Narcissa.

"Wonderful!" Pansy said clapping her hands together. "Because I was going to ask you both to have dinner with me Sunday."

"That sounds great, Pansy," Blaise said with a smile.

"Er, yeah, sounds good," Draco said uncertain.

"Ron will of course be joining us, Blaise would you like to invite Gina? Perhaps Draco you could bring someone?" Pansy asked with a smile. "Dinner will be at 7:00pm at my house. My chef will whip us up something fabulous."

Draco opened his mouth to object but Blaise kicked him under the table and he winced instead of spoke.

"That sounds brilliant," Blaise said. "I'm sure Gina will be thrilled."

"Wonderful," Pansy said. "Ron mentioned to me that Hermione needs a break, apparently she's been working non-stop for the last seven days." Pansy looked directly at Draco when she said the last part.

"I don't know why you're looking at me," Draco said.

"Draco, you're supposed to be working with the girl!" his mother scolded him. "In your absence she's apparently taken it upon herself to do your work in addition to hers. Honestly, you'd think I hadn't raised you with manners!"

"Sorry, mother," Draco said through clenched teeth. "You do realize I was working with Hermione Granger? The Chosen One's best friend? One third of the Golden Trio? Everyone's favorite muggle born witch?"

He stared at his mother waiting for a reaction, something that would show she was still on his side, but she merely took a bite of her chicken and, after chewing, said "You gave her your word Draco. A Malfoy never goes back on their word."

Draco sat back heavily. His mother was supposed to be the one person he could count on to keep their beliefs. She and his father had been the ones to teach them to him after all. But now it seemed his mother had become a traitor as well.

"If you'll excuse me," Draco said, rising from the table. "I believe I have to go to work."

"But it's only 12:30pm!" Pansy exclaimed. "You don't have to be there until 1:00pm."

"I'll make it work," he replied. Without another word, he rose from the table and walked out of the room.

"Should we make sure he gets to work?" Pansy asked Blaise.

"No," Blaise said. "I think he needs to get there all on his own."

Blaise, Pansy, and Narcissa continued to eat and chat amiably while Draco strode through the house and made his way to the apparition point. It had been days, he realized, since he'd stepped outside. It was a beautiful day, he mused. The sun was shining, there were only a few clouds in the sky, and the temperature was perfect. He stood for a few minutes just absorbing the sunlight and enjoying the weather. When he began to feel his pale skin begin to heat he decided he'd had enough of the weather and stepped out to the apparition point. He realized it had been days since he'd seen Granger. And the last time he'd seen her, he'd been angry with her. Enough time had passed, he decided. She'd have forgotten about it by now and they wouldn't have to discuss it. With that in mind, he flooed to St. Mungo's. He walked in the front door and was hit with a strange feeling. It was almost like, coming home? He strode through the familiar hallways and made his way to Hermione's office. He figured he should probably stop there first and find out what she wanted him to do. He knocked on the door and when her voice called for him to come in, he did.

Hermione didn't look up from her desk when she heard the knock. She figured it was one of the interns coming to bother her about something ridiculous.

"Er, hello," Draco said.

Hermione's head shot up at the sound of his voice and her face expanded into a huge smile. "Hello! Oh, you're here! Are you well? I'm sorry you were sick."

Draco almost laughed at the pure joy radiating from her. No one had ever looked at him that way, he realized, and he felt an uncomfortable shift in his chest.

"I'm well," he said shortly. "What do you want me to do?"

Hermione quickly reigned in her excitement. She'd momentarily forgotten who she was talking to. Draco wouldn't be happy to see her. He was here because he had to be, she reminded herself.

"I've done a great deal of research over the last few days," she said curtly. "Perhaps you'd like to review it and give me your thoughts on it?"

"Fine," Draco said. "I assume everything is in the same room it always is?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, the formality of the conversation paining her. "I'll come by before my rounds and we can discuss it."

Draco nodded and walked out of the room. It wasn't until he was halfway down the hallway that he realized he'd been holding his breath the entire time. What was wrong with him? He thought, agitated. Pushing his thoughts aside he went in to the room, assumed his usual seat behind the desk and began to review what Hermione had found.

In her office, Hermione was mentally kicking herself for her behavior. "You're a fool," she said to herself. Shaking her head, she went back to the notes she'd been going over when Draco came in, putting Draco out of her mind.


	16. Chapter 16

Around 4:30pm, Hermione left her office and made her way to the room where Draco was. She was fully composed, ready to treat Draco the way she always had. She walked into the room and found Draco staring at the book she'd found.

"What do you think?" she asked him.

"I think this book is illegal and I'm shocked that you have it," Draco replied.

"I have a...source who lends me books like this from time to time," Hermione said vaguely. "I help my source with something so they help me."

"Interesting," Draco answered. "I think this is the most accurate description of what the Cruciatus curse does that I've ever read. That's exactly what it feels like."

Hermione looked surprised at his words. "You've had the curse used against you?"

"Did you forget which side I fought for?" Draco answered wryly. "30 seconds here and there as a quick punishment."

"Do you have any side effects?" Hermione asked, suddenly interested. "How often did it happen?"

"I'm sorry to say I don't have any lasting effects from the curse," Draco told her. "It was maybe six times throughout the war for, like I said, 30 seconds at most. The Dark Lord had other ways of punishing me." A shadow passed over his face.

"So the curse attacks the pain receptors in the body," Hermione said. "The after effects clearly do the same thing, even though they don't have an immediate source."

"So you need to block the pain receptors," Draco finished. "But I have a feeling you already knew that."

Hermione looked surprised. "Yes, I did, how did you know?"

"I had one of your hangover potions at Blaise's," he told her. "I recognized it right away. Modified pepper up potion with a pain potion?"

"Yes," Hermione said her eyes wide. "That's right."

"You need a way to make it last longer," Draco told her. "I have an idea for how you can do it."

"We can do it after," she told him. "Come on."

"Come where?" he asked, confused.

"It's time for my rounds," she answered.

"So?" he replied. "What does that have to do with your research? Or me?"

"You've been working here nearly three months, it's time," was all she said as she walked out the door.

Agitated with her response, he walked out of the room intending to make a snide remark about her research but he saw that she was already through the secure door and almost to the lifts. He walked quickly and made it to the lift. The door shut behind him and Hermione called out for the Frank and Alice Longbottom wing.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Draco snapped. "Who are Frank and Alice Longbottom? Do I have to see Longbottom? I'm not going to be surrounded by your side, am I?"

"You know people here too, Malfoy," she said quietly but didn't say anything further.

The lift announced their arrival and Malfoy moved to get out of the lift but Hermione called for it to hold.

"What's the problem?" Malfoy asked.

"Malfoy, do you remember rule 3?"

"Forgive me Granger if I can't remember the exact order of all of the rules you gave me, but-"

"Secrecy, Malfoy," she replied cutting him off. "You cannot talk about what you see here with anyone other than me. Not even the interns, they've never been here."

"Why bring me?" He asked suspiciously.

"Because we're supposed to work together and for the first time, I believe that you want to help with my work," she replied. "And because I think Luna knew I would bring you here and it would help your...recovery."

"I'm not ill," he snapped. "I don't need to recover."

"You are ill in a way," was her response. "And we survived a war, everyone needed to recover."

When Malfoy didn't reply, she continued. "But that's not important right now. Malfoy you're going to see people you know here, you CANNOT reveal who is in this wing. You cannot touch any of the patients. You shouldn't speak to them until I know what their reaction to you will be. For now you must just observe. Am I clear?"

"More bloody rules, I get it," he replied, annoyed again. "Let's just get on with it."

Hermione looked at him for a moment then nodded. "Follow me."

She called for the lift doors to open and they stepped in to a small waiting area. Hermione walked to the front desk and greeted the woman sitting there. They spoke quietly for a minute before Hermione moved toward a set of grey double glass doors. Malfoy followed and nearly ran into her when she stopped directly in front of the door.

"You have to go through doors for them to work properly," Draco drawled.

"Remember what I told you," Hermione snapped without turning around.

She then placed both hands on the doors and a moment later, they slid open. They walked into a narrow hallway lined with doors, 5 on each side. Draco stared down the hallway over Hermione's head and could see that where it ended, it continued both to the right and to the left. Hermione stopped in front of the first door on their right, glanced at the chart next to the door, and went in but Draco stayed in the hall. They worked their way down the hallway until they reached the fifth door on the left. Hermione took the chart that was floating next to the door and Draco decided to look over her shoulder to see the patient's name.

"Alvin Tigers?" Draco said with a laugh. "What kind of name is that?"

"You aren't here to laugh at his name," Hermione snapped. "You're here to observe."

"What's wrong with him?" Draco asked, trying to read the chart.

"All of the patients in this wing are, in some way, suffering from the long term effects of the repeated use of the Cruciatus curse or similar curses like it," Hermione explained. "We've found a direct correlation in the amount of times they were hit with the course and amount of time that it was performed with the severity of their symptoms."

"Fascinating," Draco said sounding bored. "What's this guy's deal?"

"He's a Muggleborn," Hermione told him, her voice taking on a clinical, detached tone. "Did some work with Arithmancy before the war. We found him with five others when we were searching the Lestrange house once the war was over. They're all here. He was the one in the best shape of the six, he was able to recount for us exactly how many times he and the others received the curse. He was hit twice a day for about 1 hour. He never screamed so she'd get bored with him quickly. But she kept him alive in hopes of breaking him before she killed him."

Draco opened his mouth to make a comment about his aunt but he could see Hermione had the beginnings of tears in her eyes. Remembering that his deal hinged on him not pissing her off, he opted for silence and a nod instead of speaking.

Hermione took a moment and steadied herself before opening the door and going in to the room. Curiosity finally getting the better of him, Draco followed. The room looked like a normal bedroom. There was a soft bed, a desk, a bookshelf that held several different size and color books, and an armchair in the corner. In the armchair sat a rail thin bald man, dressed in a hospital robe, reading a large, green book.

"Al?" Hermione said softly.

The man looked up from his book and smiled.

"Hermione, hello," Alvin replied.

"How are you today?" Hermione asked, her quill poised to take notes.

"I started this book," he answered, showing her the front. "It's about Malgorn's Algorithm. It's never been disproven."

"That's great," Hermione told him with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Today is a good day," he said, closing the book. "I've passed out twice and vomited once."

"That's a good day?" Draco said appalled.

Alvin looked up and noticed Draco for the first time and immediately tensed. "Who is this, Hermione?"

"Al, this is Draco," Hermione said, speaking slowly and soothingly. "He's going to be helping me with my research for the next few months. Is it okay if he comes with me to visits?"

Al relaxed and looked at Draco. "He looks familiar."

Hermione felt the color leave her face. It hadn't occurred to her that Draco could have been the person who tortured one of her patients.

"He fought during the war," Hermione replied. "That's probably why."

Alvin seemed satisfied with her response but Draco looked at her in surprise. She'd specifically avoided saying which side he fought for. She probably thought he was changing or some rubbish like that. The thought made him smile.

"Pleasure," Draco said, smoothly with a sneer.

Alvin's eyes widened in horror at his response. "No, no, please, no, no, no," Alvin said, his eyes wide. "Not again."

He then began to scream and cry. Hermione whirled around and looked at Draco.

"Get out, Malfoy, now," she shouted.

But Malfoy found himself rooted to the spot. Alvin kept screaming and crying and suddenly, he began to shake violently. The same way Granger had, Malfoy remembered. Hermione blocked out Draco and ran to a wall. She opened a panel, took a blue potion out and quickly returned to Alvin.

"Al? Al? I need you to drink this," she instructed him. "You know this will help, you need to drink it."

But he just continued to scream and cry and mutter under his breath over and over, "it's him, it was him, stop him, please, stop him, it's him."

"AL!" Hermione said, raising her voice. "AL, I NEED YOU TO LOOK AT ME. LOOK AT ME!"

Alvin lifted his head and looked at Hermione. She quickly tilted his head back and tipped the contents on the bottle in to his mouth. Immediately he began to calm as he curled into a ball in the chair and rocked back and forth.

"Al, I'm going to levitate you to your bed," Hermione told him. She quickly moved him from the chair to his bed.

"I'll be back to check on you later," she whispered. "Sleep now."

"It's almost him," Al slurred, as sleep took him over. "Looks just like him."

Hermione sank to the floor next to Al's bed and ran her hands over her face. She then stood and it was only then that she noticed Draco still standing in the room, a look of confusion and, if she wasn't mistaken, fear on his face.

"Come on," Hermione said and walked out of the room.

* * *

A/N: I just finished my homework and I have to wake up super early for class but since I couldn't upload a chapter yesterday, I figured I owed you one today. I'll try to upload two or three tomorrow to make up for this being just one. Review please, I love hearing what you think!


	17. Chapter 17

Back in the hallway, Hermione looked at Draco. "I need to ask you a question before this goes any further."

"He thought I was Lucius," Draco replied, staring at his reflection in the glass window of the door, as if he hadn't even heard her question. "He thought I was my father."

"I believe so," Hermione told him cautiously. "Now I need you to answer me honestly."

"Yes," Draco answered, turning toward her, his face void of all emotion. "You want to know if my father tortured people using the Cruciatus? The answer is yes."

"That's not my question," Hermione said, looking in to his eyes. "Malfoy, I need to know if you used it. I need to know if you have any victims in this wing because I can't have something like what just happened to Al, happen again. These people trust me, they trust in what I'm doing and they trust that they will be safe here. I cannot have you trigger an episode in one of my patients, I just can't allow it."

"Yes," Draco said, the memories flashing through his mind as he struggled to maintain his composure. "Yes, I tortured people using the Cruciatus curse. But you don't have to worry about them being in your wing, Granger."

"Why is that?" Hermione asked, though she felt she already knew the answer.

"It was after I failed to kill Dumbledore, I was given a number of prisoners to torture for information," he explained, his eyes unfocused. He could feel himself suffocating in the memories. "In a moment of weakness, I just...I couldn't take their screams anymore. They just wouldn't stop screaming."

"What did you do, Malfoy?" Hermione asked quietly.

He looked at her with hollow eyes, all traces of the arrogant Malfoy he'd come in with were nowhere to be found. "I killed them all."

His words hung between them in the silence of the halls of the wing. Hermione stared intently at Draco while he stared intently at the floor.

"Why?" Hermione questioned, breaking the silence.

Draco continued to stare at the floor and didn't respond. Hermione watched his fists clench and unclench as he sought to maintain control of his emotions.

"Why, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, again. "Why did you kill them?"

"Because I couldn't bloody keep torturing them," he snapped. "They were supporters, all of them, who had fallen out of favor with The Dark Lord so he deemed them traitors and told me to get out everything I could from them. They were good Death Eaters so I did them a favor and I killed them."

Hermione looked shocked by his admission and Draco immediately felt disgust with himself for telling her so much.

"So to answer your question, Granger," he replied, composing himself, the air of superiority and the look of contempt returning to him. "Yes, I used the Cruciatus but not on anyone here."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. She thought for a moment and said the last words Draco expected to hear. "You did the right thing."

"Excuse me?" Draco asked, gaping at her in disbelief.

"You took away their pain," Hermione told him, her face unreadable. "Voldemort would have killed them in the end but not before they ended up like one of my patients here. You ended what would have probably been months of agony and torture for them and you gave them peace. In the middle of pure evil, you did the right thing."

"Bugger off, Granger," Malfoy replied, still shocked by what she'd said. "I don't need you to tell me what I did was right."

"Fine," Hermione answered. "Let's go, I have to finish my rounds and we're behind."

They finished the hallway they were in and, at the end of the hallway, stopped.

"We're going to the branch corridors now," Hermione told Draco. "You're going to know the people in these rooms."

"I doubt it," Malfoy said. "Or if I do, I doubt it's anyone I give a damn about."

"Very well," Hermione replied, deciding it was best to let him see who was there on his own. "Let's go."

The branch hallways were designed the same as the main hallway, 5 doors on each side. Hermione stopped in front of the first door and took the chart from the wall. She glanced over it before handing it to Draco.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Draco said, not reading it.

"Familiarize yourself with the patient," Hermione answered. "Read it."

"Just tell me what the deal is like you did with all the others," Draco told her, taking a step toward her with the chart held out to her.

"This patient was tortured with the Cruciatus curse every day four times a day at least for several months," Hermione said, crossing her arms so Draco couldn't hand her the chart. "He was also the victim of two other curses, one that makes you feel like you're drowning even though you are not and another that makes you feel as though you've been set on fire."

"I know what they are," Draco told her. "I've seen them used."

"Well," Hermione replied. "Now you get to see what they've done. Look at the chart, Malfoy."

Aggravated, Malfoy gave a cursory look at the chart. "So it's a bloke and he's a bit chubby and he's doing poorly, I get it."

"Oh for Merlin's sake Malfoy, look at the patient's NAME," she cried.

He gave her a glare before looking down at the name at the top of the chart and he felt his stomach drop.

"What kind of game are you playing at?" Draco spat, waving the chart at her. "What is this?"

"What do you mean, what kind of game am I playing?" Hermione answered, confused.

"Gregory Goyle?" he replied, raising his voice, throwing the chart at her but it missed and clattered to the ground instead. "That's who the patient is? Gregory Goyle?"

"Yes?" Hermione said, bending down to pick up the chart and placing it back on the door. "There's no need to shout, I told you you'd know some of the patients and I knew he was your friend."

"That's not possible," Draco replied, his voice getting even louder and his pale face flushing with color.

"Lower your voice!" Hermione told him again. "I assure you, it's quite possible that one of your precious Slytherin purebloods is a patient here."

"That's not it," Draco shouted, turning his back to her, his hands clenched in fists. "That's not it at all."

"Then what is it?" Hermione asked now thoroughly confused. She was shocked by Draco's reaction and wasn't completely sure what to do.

Draco whirled around and took a menacing step toward her and said, "Goyle can't be a patient here because Gregory Goyle is dead."

* * *

A/N: It's 5:30 in the morning, I'm so tired but the reviews I got made me so happy I decided to upload another chapter before I go back to doing my homework. SO sorry about the cliffhanger, I promise I"ll upload another chapter later today! I keep forgetting to say this, THANK YOU to everyone who is reading my story and to everyone who is reviewing. You're the greatest! :)


	18. Chapter 18

"Dead?" Hermione replied, shocked. "He isn't well but he certainly isn't dead."

"Yes, yes he is," Draco insisted. "Gregory Goyle died 3 years and 8 months ago."

"What makes you think that?" Hermione asked. "Who told you he was dead?"

"The Dark Lord did," Draco shouted at her. "The Dark Lord told me that Goyle was dead. Killed by a bloody member from your precious Order when he was out scouting."

"Malfoy," Hermione said carefully. "The Order only killed in battle. If we had found Goyle, we would have captured him and taken him as a prisoner. We wouldn't have killed him."

"That's a bunch of bloody rubbish and you know it," Draco replied coldly. "Your side murdered my friend and now you've gone and set up this entire chart to what? Help me recover Granger? Heal me? I AM NOT SICK."

"YOUR FRIEND ISN'T DEAD," Hermione shouted, finally losing her temper. "YOUR FRIEND IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS DOOR, VERY MUCH ALIVE, BUT VERY, VERY SICK."

Hermione and Draco stared at each other for a moment, both breathing heavily. "He isn't dead Malfoy," Hermione said more quietly. "Voldemort lied to you."

"You're lying," he said accusingly. "This is all part of your sick, twisted plan to 'treat' me."

"I'm not lying, think about it," Hermione implored. "I have no reason to lie to you, Voldemort had every reason to."

"Show me," Draco replied menacingly. "If he's alive, I want to see him."

"You have to calm down first," Hermione told him. "And you have to promise to remain calm the entire time you are in his room. His episodes are easily set off and it takes him weeks to recover from them."

"Just let me see the man you claim to be my friend, Granger," Draco answered. "Let me in."

"Not until you calm down," she repeated. "He can't see you like this."

"There isn't anyone on the other side of this door so it doesn't bloody matter," Draco told her, putting his hand on the doorknob. "I'm going in."

Draco moved his hand to turn the doorknob but Hermione had him flat against the wall across the hallway in an instant.

"What the fuck?" he shouted, kicking his dangling legs. "Granger, enough of this, put me down."

"Listen to me," Hermione said quietly, lowering Draco but keeping him firmly against the wall.

She stared into his eyes as she spoke and he found he couldn't help but stare back.

"Calm. Down," she repeated. "Once you are calm, I'll let you go and I'll let you into the room. Do you understand?"

Draco opened his mouth to speak but Hermione merely shook her head. They stared at one another, neither moving nor speaking, as Draco allowed the anger to ebb from his body. There was fear there too, Hermione realized, as she look at Draco, watching fascinated as he fought to maintain control of his features. Fear that his friend was alive, fear that everything he'd been told was a lie. Draco's voice broke her thoughts.

"Let me down, Granger," he said wearily. "Let me see if what you've said is true."

Hermione looked at him hard and, satisfied that he seemed at least calm enough, led him into the room.

Goyle's room was the same as the others with the exception of a small table next to the bed with a silver plate next to it. Goyle was laying on the bed with his eyes shut.

"Greg?" Hermione said, loudly, moving next to his bed. "It's Hermione."

Goyle's eyes flew open and rested on Hermione. He gave her a small smile.

"Hello, Hermione," Goyle said. "I'd get up but I'm afraid the pain is too much today."

Draco's mouth dropped at the sound of his friend's voice and his use of Hermione's first name.

"I want you to tell me about your day, Greg, what's happened today?"

"Today has been just pain, all day," he told her, gasping as another wave of pain hit him. "It feels like I'm back there."

"Okay," Hermione said soothingly. "Has the potion been helping?"

"It dulls the pain but it doesn't take it away," Goyle responded. "It doesn't work as well as it used to."

"That's quite alright," Hermione told him cheerfully. "I'm already working on a new batch for you."

Draco watched their exchange in shock. His friend was alive. His friend was treating Granger as if she was an equal. He wasn't dead. He was alive. And the Dark Lord had lied. What else had he lied about? Draco began to think but his thoughts were interrupted by a scream.

He watched in horror as Goyle writhed in pain on the bed. Hermione looked at her watch and, seeing that it was 5:59 pm, watched the silver tray.

"Aren't you going to do anything?" Draco hissed at her.

"One minute," Hermione hissed back. "Greg, just hold on one minute, just one more minute."

A minute later a dark blue vial appeared on the plate. Hermione quickly uncapped it and helped feed it to Goyle. After a few minutes, Goyle stopped moving and lay completely still.

"Tell me what you feel," Hermione requested.

"I can feel the potion moving through my body," Goyle said. "The pain is easing up."

"Good, good," Hermione said. "Do you feel anything else? Nausea? Tingling?"

"Tingling," Goyle told her. "I can feel the potion working. That's all."

"Great, Greg, thank you," Hermione replied. "I've brought someone with me to see you. He's going to be helping me for the next few months. Do you remember Draco Malfoy?"

She gestured for Malfoy to come stand next to her and he complied. Goyle looked up at Malfoy.

"I heard you were in Azkaban," Goyle said, giving Malfoy a once over.

"They let me out," was Malfoy's reply. "I heard you were dead."

"I wish I was," Goyle answered without hesitation.

Goyle's words hung in the air between them.

"I'll leave you two to talk," Hermione said, breaking the awkward silence. "I'll finish my rounds and come back for you, Malfoy, when I'm done. Greg, hang in there, we're getting closer, I can feel it."

With that, Hermione walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Draco and Goyle stared at one another for several minutes before Goyle spoke.

"She always says that to me, you know?"

"Says what?"

"She always tells me to hang in there, that we're getting closer, she can feel it." Goyle told him. "She's been saying it to me every day since I got here."

"Well, Granger seems to be a disgusting optimist," Draco replied. "What is she doing to you? Do I need to get you out of here?"

Goyle laughed, then winced from the pain. "Sit down mate," he said. "Let me tell you about the last four years."

Draco listened in silence as Goyle recounted everything, pausing only when the pain made it too difficult to talk. He told Draco how Voldemort had killed his parents right in front of him then tortured him for hours. He told him about the Order finding him and how, instead of killing all of the prisoners, they brought them to St. Mungo's to be healed. He then told him about Hermione, and everything she'd done from setting up her program to her research to what she'd done for him.

"But she's a Mudblood," Draco reminded his friend. "They're beneath us, they aren't worthy of their magic. That's what we were taught."

"That's rubbish," Goyle replied, gripping the sheets of his bed as a fresh wave of pain went through him. "If anyone is worthy of their magic, it's Hermione Granger. I don't believe in any of that pureblood supremacy shit anymore Draco. You shouldn't either."

"But it's what's right," Draco insisted. "It's what we fought for."

"And look at what we lost as a result," Goyle said angrily. "My parents are dead because some lunatic we followed decided they should be. Your dad will be in Azkaban for the rest of his life. How's your mum, Draco? Because last I saw her, she was being Crucioed right next to me for refusing to fuck Voldemort."

"DON'T YOU SPEAK ABOUT MY MOTHER," Draco shouted, enraged. "Just because you've lost your beliefs, doesn't mean I have to lose mine."

"Your beliefs are wrong, Draco," Goyle told him. "Look at Granger, look at what happened to everyone who believed what we did, look at ME. Without Granger's potions, without Granger's help, I would have killed myself ages ago."

Draco glared at Goyle but could feel the doubt that had been floating around, seeping deeper into his system.

"She stays here some nights, you know?" Goyle said, breaking into Draco's thoughts. "When it's bad, she stays here with me. She's done it with some of the others of us too. After everything we did to her in school, after everything our side did to hers during the war, she is helping us, she's trying to heal us."

"So Granger is a bleeding heart Gryffindor," Malfoy said. "Everyone knows that."

"You just don't see it mate," Goyle replied, shaking his head. "The war is over, our side lost, but we lost long before the war ended."

"When did you become so philosophical?" Draco said with a snort.

"When I stopped blindly following orders and started thinking for myself," Goyle answered.

Just then the door opened and Hermione walked in.

"I've finished my rounds, Malfoy," she said. "Time to go back to the lab."

Draco nodded and held out his hand to Goyle. "See you soon, mate," he said.

Draco moved towing the door and Hermione leaned down next to Goyle's bed. "1-10, how bad is it?" she asked.

"5," Goyle replied. "But it's just the pain, none of the rest. I'm fine."

"I have to check on another patient later," Hermione told him. "I'll poke my head in after and see how you are."

"Thank you, Hermione," Goyle said, looking past her at Draco. "Thank you for everything you've done for all of us."

"You're welcome," Hermione said looking puzzled. "I'll see you later."

She stood and walked out of the room with Draco close behind.

* * *

A/N: As promised :)


	19. Chapter 19

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked Draco, concerned. "You look a bit, well, more pale than usual."

"Are you starting to worry about me, Granger?" Malfoy sneered. "How Gryffindor of you."

"You're fine then," Hermione said with tight smile. "Let's go back down to the lab."

They walked down the hallway and into the lift in silence. Once they were in the lift Draco called for it to stop. Hermione looked at him alarmed.

"Goyle mentioned you stay with him," Draco said accusingly.

"Yes, I do," Hermione replied cautiously. "I make sure he's okay."

"He said that you do it for some of the others too," Draco continued in the same tone.

"Yes," Hermione said.

"He said you do it for some of the others of us," Draco told her. "Who is us?"

"You really don't know, do you?" Hermione said surprised. "It was all over The Prophet right after it happened."

"I was a bit busy to read the paper, Granger," he drawled. "Who else is in that wing?"

"Let's go back to my office," Hermione said. "I think it's best if we talk about this there."

She called for her lab floor and a few minutes later they were back in her office with the door shut. Hermione sat down at her desk but Draco stood on the other side.

"Alright, out with it," Draco demanded. "Who else is in that wing? What don't I know about?"

"Sit down," she replied wearily. "And I'll tell you what happened."

"I'd prefer to stand," he said, stiffly.

"Fine. Only a day after Harry defeated Voldemort, the Order began to round up the remaining Death Eaters," Hermione began.

"I know that," Draco told her. "I was one of them, remember? You're not telling me anything I don't already know."

"Let me finish," Hermione said patiently. "As part of that, we began to do full searches of all the homes of Death Eaters, looking for dark artifacts, etc. What we didn't expect to find were survivors. I mentioned to you we found Al in the Lestrange basement, we also found about 40 other people in basements of other Death Eater homes. They'd all been tortured, abused, and were all severely malnourished. Everyone we found was brought to St. Mungo's. 10 of them died shortly after being brought here. The remaining 30 now occupy the branch corridors of the Unforgivable wing."

"So that's where you found Goyle?"

"Yes, we found him along with three others. They are all in his end of the corridor."

"So that's what Goyle meant by us," Draco said. "He meant he and the others he was found with. Who are the other three people?"

"Vincent Crabbe, Millicent Bulstrode, and Theodore Nott," Hermione told him.

As Hermione listed off each of the names, Draco felt a quick stab in his gut. "They're all supposed to be dead. All killed by the Order."

Draco sank into the chair across from Hermione's desk.

"The same way Gregory was supposed to be dead?" Hermione asked him. "Also killed by the Order? Malfoy, I assure you they are very much alive and doing better now than they were in the dungeon we found them in."

Draco dropped his head into his hands and muttered something under his breath.

"What did you say?" Hermione asked.

Draco lifted his head and clenched his fists. "I said, where were they found?"

"Malfoy," Hermione hesitated before continuing. "It doesn't really matter where they were found. Only that they were and now they're here safe and being cared for."

"Where were they found?" he asked again, louder than before.

"Honestly, I can't remember, it was years ago and it hardly matters now, I-"

"WHERE WERE THEY FOUND, GRANGER?!" He screamed, gripping the arms of the chair.

Hermione's mouth dropped open at his use of her name.

"Malfoy Manor," she replied before she could stop herself. "We found them in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor."

Draco looked as if he'd been punched in the stomach. He slid from the chair to the floor and stared blankly at Hermione's floor. Unsure of what to do Hermione walked around her desk and sat on the floor next to him.

"It isn't your fault," Hermione told him, looking at him as he looked at the floor.

At her words, his head shot up and he met her eyes with his. They were so full of anguish, Hermione wanted to reach out and touch him.

"They were my friends," he said, struggling to speak. "They were my friends, I thought they were dead. The things I did. The orders I took. Because I thought they were dead. I was TOLD they were dead. I believed what I was told. But they were alive. They were a few floors below me the entire time. It was all a lie."

Draco suddenly jumped to his feet and began to pace Hermione's office. Hermione stood as well and took a step back.

"Do you know what else I was taught? Do you know what else I was told?" Draco asked, looking at Hermione and running a hand through his hair. He continued without waiting for an answer.

"I was taught that purebloods were superior to all others. I was told people who were muggle born were Mudbloods, beneath us, not worthy to LIVE in our world. I was told that Muggleborns weren't worthy of their magic just because they didn't come from a long wizarding line. That's what I fought for, that's what I was willing to die for. After I lost my friends, I believed it even more, how could a side that would take my friends be right? But it was my side that lied about my friends. My side that took my friends. Everyone I grew up with, everyone who I fought with, is in jail or dead for what we were taught, for what we were told."

He stopped walking and whirled to face Hermione, breathing heavily. "How could a side that would take my friends be right? Oh god."

"Draco, it's okay," Hermione started to say but he rushed toward her and grabbed her by the shoulders and shouted.

"IT'S NOT OKAY, IT'S NOT OKAY BECAUSE EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING WAS A LIE. I LOST YEARS OF MY LIFE BECAUSE OF LIES, I SPENT TIME IN PRISON BECAUSE OF LIES, I WOULD HAVE GIVEN MY LIFE AND TAKEN YOURS, GINA'S AND THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE LIKE YOU WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT ALL FOR LIES. ALL BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT I WAS TOLD."

Draco let go of Hermione abruptly and she stumbled backwards. He turned away from her and ran his hands over his face and through his hair again. This time when he turned around, he had tears streaming down his face, and as if all of the anger left him, he collapsed to the floor. Hermione rushed to him and this, time, didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around him. He clung to her as he sobbed. Hermione didn't speak, just held him as the sobs shook his entire body. Neither knew how long they stayed that way but eventually Draco's cries quieted. Hermione though, didn't let go and he didn't either. They sat on her floor, unmoving, until Hermione shifted away from him and sat across from him. Draco stared at the ground.

"Look at me," Hermione said.

Draco continue to stare at the spot on the floor.

"Look at me, Draco," Hermione said again, hoping her use of his first name would get through to him.

He looked up at her. "The war is over. What's done is done and the past is the past. Now, you get to start again. No one gets to tell you what to do anymore. You decide. You do exactly what you decide. You don't have to do what you were told."

He stared at her as her words sunk in and for the first time since he was 14, Draco felt like he could breathe again. He let out a rush of air and looked at her. "How will I know what to do?"

Hermione smiled and leaning forward, took his hands in hers. "I'll help you," she said. "Blaise and Pansy too. You're not alone."

"I'm not alone," Draco repeated. "I'm not alone."

Neither spoke after that, Hermione simply looked at Draco as he processed everything that had been brewing for months. Draco on the other hand, just stared into Hermione's eyes. She'd leaned close enough that he could see the dark brown of her eyes, small freckles on her cheeks, her lips. Then, without thinking, Draco leaned in and captured her lips with his.

* * *

A/N: This chapter and the chapter after it were probably the most difficult ones to write. By the time I finished this chapter, I'd successfully broken Draco Malfoy, something that I felt had to come in steps with one, final climatic thing being what set him over the edge he had been dangling on. This situation seemed like something that would break him, break his faith in what he'd been taught and told. But once I'd broken him, I had to figure out how to rebuild him. Then I realized, unknowingly to me and to Draco, I'd already built him a support system. All I had to do was use it.


	20. Chapter 20

For a split second Hermione hesitated and Draco pulled back. He could see the confusion in her eyes mirroring his own. What had he just done? He was still millimeters away from her face but before he could pull away she leaned in and kissed him. This time there was no hesitation. His mouth slanted across hers and their tongues tangled. Draco went to his knees and slid one hand in to her hair and the other around her lower back and pulled her flush against him. Hermione slid both arms around him, pulling him closer.

No one had told him about this, Draco thought as he struggled to get closer to Hermione, hands sliding up and down her back. He could feel her hands clutching the back of his robes, pulling him against her. Then suddenly he was pushing her away.

"No, no," he said. "This is wrong. I can't."

Without another word, he fled from the office, leaving Hermione stunned. She sat on the floor for several minutes, waiting for her heart rate to return to normal and her breathing to level. She got up off the floor and sat in her chair. They still had half the program left, she thought. How was she supposed to work with him after...that? The kiss she'd shared with Draco had been unlike any other, she hoped he'd felt it too. But the way he ran from her office suggested otherwise. It had been a mistake, she told herself. One she was afraid she desperately wanted to repeat.

Draco had made it to his room at the Manor before he lost control. He picked up anything and everything he could find and began to smash it. Glasses, candles, bottles of whiskey, nothing was safe from his rampage. He'd just flipped his desk when his mother walked in.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy you will stop this behavior immediately!" Narcissa commanded.

Apparently his mother hadn't lost her touch because, as he had when he was a child, the minute he heard his full name he stopped dead.

"What is the meaning of this?" She demanded. "You tell me this instant young man!"

"I'm angry, mother," Draco said, his fists clenched.

"That's no reason to act like an animal," Narcissa admonished. "Why are you angry?"

"Did you know Goyle is alive?" He asked her, clenching his fists. "Crabbe too. As well as a couple others. Did you know?"

"Yes," Narcissa said evenly.

Draco whirled and faced her, his magic sparking. "You knew?"

"Yes," she told him. "But not until after the war was over. I had no idea they were here, Draco. I believed what you did, that they'd been killed by the Order. I was told the same thing you were."

At his mother's words, Draco felt all of his anger leave his body. He collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Narcissa moved and, for the first time in Draco's memory, sat on the floor next to him.

"Is that what this is about?" Narcissa asked. "You're angry because no one told you they were alive?"

"I'm angry because I was told they were dead," he replied. "I was lied to, the things that I did was partially motivated by the idea that the Order had killed my friends but that wasn't true. It was a lie."

"Yes," Narcissa told him, evenly. "It was."

"And you lied to me," Draco said, feeling his anger return as he looked at his mother. "You and father both. You taught me to hate before I was ever old enough to know better." His breath hitched and he was disgusted to realize he had tears streaming down his face. "I never had a chance."

"We were wrong," Narcissa said quietly, reaching out and putting her hand on Draco's shoulder. "It's a difficult day when a child grows up and realizes that their parents are human too. We made mistakes, Draco, in our beliefs, in what we taught you. We were wrong. I know that now."

"Why could you figure that out sooner? I would have DIED for our side mother," Draco told her. "Given my life without a second thought for something that was wrong. I did give years of my life, three of them in Azkaban, because you and father were wrong."

"It's easy to see now," Narcissa said. "Now that the war is over, the dust has settled, and the Order won, it's so easy to see that we were on the wrong side. But it wasn't so easy before, wasn't so clear. I'm not saying this to justify what we've done but we were the victims of our upbringing, the same as you were. Draco, I know your father still holds on to the old beliefs, I don't think he'll ever change, but I have. And you can. I think you already have."

"So you couldn't do anything until you were, what, free from father?" Draco replied angrily. "Before "our side" lost the war, you couldn't have given me a chance?"

"You have a chance now," Narcissa told her son, sharply. "Just as I had a chance in the woods all those years ago. I chose you over the Dark Lord, put all of my trust in Mr. Potter and their side and I got my second chance but I also did it to secure yours. Being close to the Dark Lord changed everything for me, seeing what my husband and my sister became because of him changed everything. It took being in that deep for me to realize I wanted out."

When Draco didn't respond, Narcissa continued. "Do you want to know what I've been doing for the last three years?" She asked.

Draco found he couldn't speak so he nodded affirmatively.

"Doing everything I could to make the Malfoy name mean something again," she told him. "Something synonymous with good rather than evil and hatred."

"What have you done?" Draco asked, curiously.

"A great deal of Malfoy money has always gone to St. Mungo's," Narcissa began. "I saw that that continued. Also a great deal of money went to restoring Hogwarts as well as helping children from both sides who were orphaned during the war. I've had the opportunity to spend time with a number of members of the Order, allowing them to get to know me. It was incredibly...difficult at first but Mr. Potter was helpful. I did what I could but you can do more."

"More?" Draco asked. "What do you mean? How can I do more?"

"Because you have more than money to give. From what I understand you're a gifted potions master," Narcissa told him. "But you always excelled in so many of your subjects at Hogwarts. You're charismatic and now have a great deal of wealth at your disposal. There is so much you could do."

Narcissa then wrapped her arms around her son. "You have your chance," she said. "Working with Ms. Granger, think of the world of good you could do if you helped her come up with potions that remediate the seemingly long lasting effects of the Cruciatus curse. What if, together, you found a way to eliminate those effects all together? Individually you're both highly intelligent, think of what you're capable of together."

"I'm not so sure she needs my help," Draco said with a half laugh. "She seems to be well on her way all on her own."

"Perhaps with your help she can get there a bit faster," Narcissa said. She released Draco and stood. "Now, clean up your room and make yourself presentable. We're having dinner in an hour."

"Yes m'am," Draco replied, pulling himself up off the floor.

His mother gave him a kiss on the forehead and walked out of the room. Draco surveyed the damage he'd done, not just to the room but thinking about what he'd done with his life to this point. How the hell was he supposed to come back from this? The foundation he'd built his life on was gone. He had nothing. But it also meant he had nothing left to lose, he realized. Which meant he had everything to gain. That he could do. He was a Malfoy, Malfoy's didn't quit and they always rose to the top, hell it was why his family had ended up in Voldemort's inner circle. But that was something he couldn't find a belief in anymore. Now it was time to change, really change, and clean up his life. Starting by cleaning up his room. Realizing he didn't have magic, he called for Jake.

"Jake," he began, when the house elf appeared in front of him but then stopped. "Nevermind Jake, go away."

Jake disappeared and, bit by bit, Draco began to clean his room.

* * *

A/N: And the rebuilding of Draco Malfoy begins. Thank you for the awesome reviews. The last chapter was the one I was most nervous to post because if you hated it, I really don't know what I would have done!


	21. Chapter 21

The following day Hermione woke up and immediately felt uneasy. Draco would most likely come to work today and she had no idea how to treat him. Cordially, she supposed. Cordial and civil, the man had, after all, had his entire world shaken. She could be his guide, she decided. A friend of sorts, to help him start his new life. If he even wants your help, she said to herself. Perhaps he'd show up, call her a Mudblood, and she'd have to send him back to Azkaban. She shook her head to try and clear her thoughts and, when that didn't work, she got out of bed and began to prepare for her day.

Draco awoke the next morning with a similar feeling that Hermione had. He'd have to see her today and he had absolutely no idea how she was going to react. He'd fallen apart on her, kissed her, and ran. "She probably thinks I'm a bloody Hufflepuff," he grumbled as he dragged himself out of bed. He stood and looked around his room at the half-hazard job he'd done cleaning it. Not bad, he thought, for not using magic. If only repairing things with Granger was as easy as putting his desk upright. And he did want to repair things with her, he realized. And he wanted to change. The kiss they'd shared had shattered him but at the same time, made him feel whole. New him was a bit of a sap, he scowled. He'd fix things though, certain he could now that he'd set his mind to it, and he'd take the opportunity he had to work with her, to spend time with her, and not waste it. He strode to the bathroom determined to fix what was left of his life and do what his mother had done and make it better.

At 1:45pm, Draco and Hermione found themselves back in the room where Draco had been reading Hermione's research, both quietly reading. When Draco had arrived at Hermione's office 15 minutes prior, he'd lost his nerve and mumbled a quick apology. She'd accepted and after several minutes of awkward silence, she'd suggested they work and they'd been back in the room since, separated by the desk between them. Draco however found he couldn't focus at all. He'd re-read the same sentence four times and he still had no idea what it said. He needed to talk to Hermione but he had no idea how to start. Hermione couldn't focus either, she kept glancing at Draco, wondering if she should say something. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Should we talk about yesterday?" she blurted out, startling Draco. "I just, I mean, we have to work together, you were upset, I just talking would...be...good…."

"I should apologize," Draco began but Hermione interrupted.

"For the kiss? I mean, you don't have to, I mean, it was unexpected but, I…"

"Granger, stop," Draco said, interrupting her. "Can I finish what I was going to say?"

"Yes, yes of course," she stammered. "Sorry."

"What I was going to say is I should apologize for the last ten years," Draco said. "The way that I treated you at Hogwarts, the way I've treated you since I began working here. Everything I've ever said or done to you was...horrible, and I'm so sorry Granger, I truly am."

"It's okay," Hermione told him. "Not okay, per se, but forgiven. I forgave you ages ago."

"My parents shaped the way I thought," he continued. "That's not an excuse but it's the truth. I intend to try to be better, to use the second chance that I have and I hope me kissing you hasn't ruined my chance to work here. I have ideas for potions, I know about the curse having used it and seen it, and I really believe I can help."

"I think you can too," Hermione said with a smile. "So we'll get back to work then."

Draco opened his mouth to reply but closed it when Hermione buried her face in the book she was reading. He watched her as she read, in a way he'd never looked at her before. She was pretty, he realized, as if he was seeing her clearly for the first time. She was smart, if anyone was worthy of their magic it was her. He thought back to the day that she had collapsed, how he'd felt when he saw her laying there, bleeding. It had bothered him and it had struck a cord within him. He pushed aside his thoughts and broke the silence.

"I have another patient for you," he said.

Hermione looked up from her book and regarded him quizzically. "You do?"

"Yes," Draco said. "I think my mother is suffering from the effects of the Cruciatus curse."

"Malfoy-" Hermione began but he cut her off.

"Remember how I told you the Dark Lord didn't have to use the Cruciatus curse on me? That he had other ways? He would torture my mother and make me watch," he explained. "Sometimes, he'd make me be the one to do it. She starts to shake, like you do. Sometimes she vomits. Sometimes, she's in so much pain she can barely move. Will you help her?"

"Voldemort," Hermione said and Draco flinched. "You should call him by his name. He's no one's lord anymore, especially not yours."

"That doesn't answer my question," Draco replied, looking at Hermione. "Will you help my mother?"

"I already am," she told him with a smile.

"What?" Draco asked, certain he'd misheard or misunderstood. "What do you mean?"

"Your mother came to me shortly after you were sentenced to Azkaban. I was the only person she knew who'd...experienced the Cruciatus curse and she wanted to know if I could help her. Because of my own symptoms, I had already started researching the curse but I didn't have anything that could help. She saved my best friend's life and played a huge role in Harry's defeat of Voldemort so I promised her that, when I did, I would help her."

Hermione paused to take a breath before continuing.

"About a year after my research, I came up with the first potion. It did exactly what we talked about earlier, it blocked the pain receptors but it only worked for a very short period of time and it dulled the pain, it didn't take it away. Every potion I've made since then has been a variation of that initial potion that I made for your mother. It wasn't until about two years ago that I went to Kingsley with everything I had and was given permission to work on it here at St. Mungo's. I spoke to every single person who is in that ward now and got their permission for them to be, for all intents and purposes, my guinea pigs. But Draco, you mother is the one who started it all."

"She never told me," Draco said shakily. "All this time, she never told me."

"Can't you guess why?" Hermione asked. "Think of how you would have reacted if she'd have told you this yesterday. The muggle born you hated helping your pureblood mother? You would have gone mad."

"I suppose you're right," Draco said ruefully. "Though if she had told me lately, I probably would have taken it okay."

Hermione looked at him curiously and asked, "what do you mean?"

"I don't know when it happened, but I could feel myself slowly sliding away from and letting go of those pureblood supremacy beliefs," he explained. "Maybe it was you, proving to me that a Muggleborn could be just as good as, maybe even better than a pureblood. Maybe it was my best friend doing a 180 and marrying a brilliant and kind of scary Muggleborn. Maybe it was Blaise screaming at me, demanding that I tell him I'd fought for the right side, and I couldn't articulate an answer. I don't know what it was, maybe it was all of it, but seeing Goyle, finding out Theo, Crabbe, and Millicent are all alive, that pushed me over the edge."

"I'm glad," Hermione said with a smile. "I honestly thought Luna was crazy when she deemed you rehabilitated."

"I thought so too," Draco said with a laugh. "I was so proud of myself because I thought I was so clever for tricking her into believing me."

"I think she realized she'd done everything she could for you," Hermione replied. "I think she knew you had to be here, surrounded by the right people, to have your beliefs shattered so you could see the truth."

"So now what do we do?" Draco asked. "I can't possibly focus on research after everything that's happened."

She thought for a moment then said, "Why don't we go out to eat in muggle London? It'll be good for you."

Draco thought for a moment then nodded. "Alright," he said. "Just don't get mad if I forget I'm reformed and say or do something terrible, old habits and all that."

"Don't worry," Hermione replied. "I'll remind you."

They both rose from their chairs and began to walk toward the door.

"I can hear my father having a stroke from here," Draco told her, half-joking. "The head of the Malfoy family on his way to dinner with the Gryffindor princess."

Hermione laughed and stepped out of the room. "Let's go."

* * *

A/N: Okay, I'm dying to know, is the change too drastic? I wanted it to be, I wanted him to go from the wrong side, slide to the other, then (because I think he's a really drive, determined person) try to make his life what it needs to be to fit in the post-war world. I hope I accomplished that and that you like it! Let me know when you leave a review!


	22. Chapter 22

Together, Hermione and Draco apparated to an empty building and from there, Hermione led them to a small pub tucked away down a side street. Draco raised an eye when they stepped in and he took in the sight before him. The pub was small, a bit dingy, dimly lit, and looked like it had seen better days maybe 100 years before. Draco went to comment but Hermione moved into the pub, winding her way toward a back booth and sliding in like she was at home. Draco slid in across from her and raised one eyebrow.

"This place is...nice?" Draco tried, looking around the booth.

"It's a shit hole," Hermione said with a laugh. "But the food is amazing. Neville Longbottom actually owns this place."

"Longbottom owns a muggle pub?" Draco asked in disbelief. "Why?"

"He thought it would be fun," Hermione replied with a shrug. "When it gets too much in the wizarding world, we come here. It's a bit of an escape for those of us who spent a lot of time in the public eye. I thought this would be a good place to bring you. A sort of in between the Muggle world and the wizarding world."

Before Draco could ask another question, two giant plates appeared before them.

"What is this?" Draco asked, examining the food.

"It's grilled cheese and tomato soup. I always get the same thing when I come," Hermione told him. "I guess whoever is back in the kitchen saw you come in with me and just sent two."

Satisfied the food wouldn't bite back, Draco picked up the sandwich and went to take a bite when Hermione stopped him.

"No, no," she said, laughing. "You have to dip the sandwich in the soup! That's the proper way to eat it."

"Dip it in the soup?" Draco repeated, questioningly. "Why?"

"It's better that way, just trust me," Hermione answered.

With a wary look, Draco dipped the sandwich into the soup and took a bite.

"Bloody hell, that's amazing!" he mumbled with the food in his mouth.

Hermione laughed as he joyfully began to eat the sandwich and she dug into her own food as well. As the meal passed, they began to talk. Draco learned about Hermione, her childhood, her friends, and more about he work. Hermione in turn learned more about Draco. Both steered clear of discussing the war but did find that they were able to share stories about their time at Hogwarts. Draco snorted water out of his nose when Hermione told him about the troll in the basement.

"I can't believe it, Granger," Draco said through his laughter. "Only you, Potter, and Weasley would end up taking on a mountain troll IN school!"

"It wasn't our fault!" Hermione replied, laughing herself. "And hey, we got house points for that!"

"Only because Dumbledore favored Potter," Draco retorted.

He was about to continue but at the mention of their old headmaster, Draco suddenly shut down.

"Malfoy, don't do that," Hermione told him. "Don't shut down on me, we were having fun!"

"Until we were reminded of the horrible person that I am and the task that I couldn't finish," he replied, bitterly.

"Why didn't you kill him?" Hermione asked, reaching over the table to grasp his hand. "Look at me and tell me, why didn't you kill him?"

"Because I was weak," Draco answered, wrenching his hand away from hers. "Because I'm a coward."

"No," Hermione replied, getting up and sliding next to him on his side of the booth. "It's because even if you didn't realize it then, deep down, you're good, you were good, and because of that, you couldn't kill Dumbledore."

She was close to him again and he was having trouble thinking. He was angry with himself but also could feel Hermione's words sinking in. Was he good?

"Yes," Hermione said and Draco realized he'd spoken out loud. "You are good, there is good in you, there always was. You just didn't know it and no one helped you find it."

They sat in silence next to eachother for a few minutes before Hermione stood.

"We should go," she said, quietly. "It's getting late."

Draco looked at his watch and realized it was almost 10. They'd been together for hours, he realized. Sitting in that pub booth, laughing, talking, like they were normal. Like they were friends.

"Okay," he answered, sliding out of the booth.

Hermione called out thanks into the back kitchen and they headed out together. They walked together in silence back to the abandoned building and once they arrived, Hermione turned to Draco.

"It's okay to be confused," Hermione said quietly.

"I'm not confused," Draco replied, looking at her. "I actually feel like I'm seeing clearly for the first time in a long time."

"Then what's wrong?" Hermione asked, frustrated. "What's going on with you?"

"Everything," Draco said with half a laugh. "Nothing. I don't know, Granger, I just don't like being reminded of what I've done."

"You have to learn to live with it," Hermione told him. "We all had to learn to live with what we did during the war."

"You couldn't possibly understand what I did," he answered. "You can't know."

"I know what my patients have been through," Hermione reminded him. "I know what you did, I may not understand but I know what you've been through."

"How can you even look at me?" Draco asked her. "How can you stand to be around me?"

"Because I've forgiven you, Malfoy," Hermione replied. "You need to forgive yourself."

At that, she stood up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. When she drew back, Draco had to hold himself back from reaching for her.

"Goodnight, Draco," Hermione said, handing him a portkey. Without another word, she walked out of the abandoned building.

Draco released the breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding. He'd had a nice time tonight, he mused. He'd enjoyed Granger's company and the kiss on the cheek, it made him think of the kiss they'd shared when he'd broken down on her office floor. They'd never talked about it, he realized. Not really. And he wanted to. All of a sudden, he really wanted to. Tomorrow, he resolved. Tomorrow they'd talk about it. Satisfied, he pulled the portkey Hermione had given him out of his pocket and was whizzed back to Malfoy Manor.


	23. Chapter 23

The following day went like any other, with Draco constantly trying to find a way to bring up the kiss from the previous day. He had to talk to her, he thought. It was driving him crazy. Little did he know, Hermione was having the same internal dilemma. She'd made a mistake spending time with him, kissing him on the cheek, she saw him for who he was and how much she'd changed and she was willing to admit to herself that she was attracted to him. But what could she do? After their rounds through the wing, Hermione retired to her office and Draco began to walk out of St. Mungo's. But he stopped and whirled back around. Today. It had to be today. Draco strode back into St. Mungo's, moving quickly. Without knocking, he walked into Hermione's office and slammed the door behind him. Hermione jumped at the sound and looked up at him.

"Malfoy, is everything okay?" Hermione asked.

"I kissed you the other day," he blurted out, rushing through his sentence. "I shouldn't have done that. We work together. I had a great time spending time with you. We work together."

He wasn't making any sense at all, he realized. His thoughts had jumbled together the minute he'd opened his mouth. So he tried again.

"I'm sorry," he said. "What I'm trying to say is I shouldn't have kissed you. But I had a great time with you and I'd like to be friends."

"You regret it then? The kiss?" Hermione asked, neatly staking the papers on her desk, not meeting his eyes. "You want to just be friends."

"I should regret it," he said, looking at her. "You're the epitome of what I was raised to hate but at the same time, you're exactly the kind of person who is worthy of their magic. What you've done, what you do, Granger, I should regret that kiss. I should want to be just your friend."

Hermione looked up at him and the look on his face was one of hope and confusion. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, hear it in her ears. She wondered if Draco could hear it too. "You said should," she pointed out. "You said you should regret the kiss. That you should want to be my friend. What do you mean by should?"

"I said should," Draco replied, rising from his chair and walking around to Hermione's side of the desk. He held out his hand and without hesitating, she took it and he helped her to her feet. "But it's difficult to regret kissing you when I want so badly to do it again."

Before Hermione could answer, his lips were on hers. His tongue demanded entrance and she tilted her head back and allowed it. She slid her arms around his neck and moved her fingers into his hair as he fisted her robes at her back. This, they thought as their strained to get closer, this was everything. They broke apart a moment later, both breathing heavily, gasping for air. Draco dropped his forehead to Hermione's and she reached up with one hand and touched his face. He looked at her, unsure of what to say or what to do.

"No regrets?" he whispered.

"No regrets," Hermione replied.

Draco released her and took a step back, smiling at her. "So what now?"

"Now," Hermione said, smiling up at him. "Let's go spend time at my flat. We can have dinner."

"Inviting me back to your flat already, Granger?" he joked. "How forward of you."

"Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed, hitting his chest. "For dinner!"

Draco backed away and laughed. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

Hermione grinned back at him, pleased that he was laughing. "Come on," she said. "Let's head out."

Draco walked toward the door and opened it, stepping aside to let Hermione step in front of him. She did but then turned back and held out her hand to him. Draco looked at her in surprise. Instead of dropping her hand, she reached for his, linking her fingers with his. Draco looked down at their intertwined hands and then Hermione who was looking at him cautiously.

"Let's go," he said, squeezing her hand.

They walked through St. Mungo's hand in hand, resulting in dropped jaws, dropped charts, and more than a few whispers. Draco tried more than once to pull his hand out of Hermione's but she simply gripped it tighter, smiling and greeting fellow Healers and patients as she went. By the time they reached the fireplaces, Draco was sure his hand had fallen off since he couldn't feel it anymore.

"Well that was fun," he said sarcastically.

"It'll just take time," Hermione replied, letting go of his hand. "Come on, I'm incredibly hungry."

Hermione stepped into the fireplace and called for The Leaky Cauldron. Draco followed and said the same. He stepped out of the fireplace and fell in step next to Hermione. He noticed she didn't reach for his hand and he felt a jab of hurt. "Can't be seen holding my hand here, can you?" he said nastily.

She stopped walking and stared at him. "Is that really what you think?" she said quietly so that only he could hear her. "That the minute we step in to the real world I'd abandon you?"

"I wouldn't blame you if you did," he replied.

"I didn't think you'd want to be seen holding my hand," she told him.

Draco saw the hurt in her eyes and realized that she thought he was still concerned about her blood status. Aware that there were a number of eyes on them, he joined their hands and said, "What I think has changed, I am changing. Do you believe that?"

Hermione looked down at their joined hands with a smile. "Yes," she said. "I believe it."

"Then let's go into muggle London," Draco said. "I survived once, I can do it again."

Together they walked out of the room, oblivious to the fact that a shadow at the back of the bar had been watching them the entire time. So the Malfoy boy was a blood traitor now, the shadow thought disgusted. What would Lucius Malfoy think to know his heir had been sullied? The shadow disappeared a moment later, leaving no trace that it had ever been there.

Outside, Draco was overwhelmed. Hermione had transfigured his robe into black trousers and a white button down and her own into a flowing red dress. The area right outside of The Leaky Cauldron was relatively quiet, the entrance itself being towards the end of an alley, and Hermione's flat was only two blocks from there but Draco was shocked by the cars going by, the strange attire of the muggles, everything. Hermione walked quickly, leading him by the hand. They arrived at a tall stone building and Hermione led Draco inside. They went up three flights of stairs. Hermione looked around to make sure no one was around, muttered a quick series of spells to alter her wards to let Malfoy through, then pulling out her key, unlocked the door and let him in. It was small, Draco thought. But then again, most places felt small compared to the Manor. He looked around the flat. There were several objects, he assumed were muggle objects, that he didn't recognize. The living room was directly in front of him, a large brown couch and a bright orange recliner occupying the majority of the space. To his left he could see the kitchen, with a small table tucked into the corner. There were a number of things in the kitchen that he'd never seen before but he acknowledged that he'd never really spent any time in a kitchen. Beyond the kitchen he could see a hallway that he assumed led to the loo and Hermione's bedroom. Hermione dropped her things on the orange chair and turned and smiled at him. He could see her lips moving, knew she was saying something, but he just stared at her. How had things changed so drastically, he wondered? In only a few short months. His thoughts scattered when he realized Hermione was standing directly in front of him, waving her hand in his face.

"Hello? Draco? Are you in there?" she said with a laugh.

"You're amazing," he said in response. "Thank you for believing in me."

"You're welcome?" Hermione answered, puzzled. "What brought that on?"

"I'm just grateful," he told her. "Grateful that you somehow saw the good in me, that you want to be with me."

"I like who you are, Draco," Hermione replied, leaning forward and giving him a long kiss. "I like who you're becoming."

Instead of answering, he grabbed her and pulled her to him and kissed her. This kiss was different from the first few that they had shared. Those had been quiet, calm, full of insecurity but comfort. This one was filled with pure lust. Hermione responded to the kiss with and eagerness that took his breath away. He streaked his hands across her back and she slid hers around his, pulling him closer to her. With a groan, Draco slid his hands to her ass and hoisted her up and pinned her against the wall. Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist, her dress riding up, and slid her arms around his neck. Draco broke their kiss moving from her mouth to press open-mouthed kisses to her neck. Hermione's head tilted back and she held back a groan as he raked his teeth down her throat. He brought his lips back to hers and they fused together in a tangle of lips and tongues. Panting Draco pulled back and looked at Hermione, his eyes burning. "Where is your room?"

Hermione stared at him, unable to answer. He kissed her again until they were both out of breath and asked again, "Where is your room?"

Hermione shook her head in response.

"Would you prefer I take you right here against the wall?"

"No," Hermione said, dropping her head to his chest. "No, Draco, I'm sorry."

Draco pulled away from the wall and lowered Hermione's legs to the floor but kept his arms around her. "You don't want to?" he asked hesitantly.

"I do," Hermione said honestly. "But it's too soon, way too soon for that Draco. You're still working out who you are, this, whatever this is, started today. It's too soon."

"I understand," Draco replied, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "You were saying something before I interrupted?"

"Oh, yes," Hermione said, absentmindedly running a hand up and down his back. "Do you want Chinese food? I'm in the mood."

"Don't you need a portkey to get to China?" he asked confused.

"What?" Hermione said, equally confused. "No? We're not going to China we…" But then she realized.

"You've never had Chinese food, have you?" she asked him.

"I've never been to China," Draco replied. "So, no."

"You don't have to go to China to have Chinese food," she said with a laugh. "Muggles eat it all the time. There's a restaurant a block away that delivers, I'll order us food from there."

Hermione walked into the kitchen and pulled her mobile out of a drawer. She ordered several different dishes, reasoning that Draco should have a number of different things to try and the leftovers would be good for several days after. They would have a nice, normal meal she thought. A good way to end what had turned into a very long day. She put the mobile back in the drawer and walked out of the kitchen.

* * *

A/N: Thoughts on their relationship? Thoughts on how the story is going? Let me know! Thank you for reading! :)

Also, I just finished uploading all the chapters onto my account so literally all I have to do is remember to post them! Yaaaaaay!


	24. Chapter 24

When Hermione came out of the kitchen, she saw Draco lying on the couch. He looked like he belonged there, Hermione thought, and tried to quell the quiet feeling of panic that seeped in at the thought. Pushing the thought away, she walked over to him and sat on the edge of the couch. Draco opened his arms and Hermione slid across him and tucked herself under his arm, putting herself between his body and the back of the couch. Draco wrapped his arm around her and they lay there in silence for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts.

"What will your friends say?" Draco asked, breaking the silence. "If they know that we are...close."

"I honestly don't know," Hermione said, shifting so she could see his face. "It took a bit for everyone to adjust to Pansy but now she's a friend and Ron's girlfriend. I can't imagine they would treat you any differently than they did her. What about you?"

"What about me?" Draco replied, confused.

"What about your friends?" she wanted to know. "And your family."

"If you haven't noticed, my friends are either residents in your hospital ward or in a relationship with your friends," Draco replied. "And apparently my mother likes you as well, so that's everyone."

"What about your father?" Hermione asked him.

Draco was struck by her question. He realized he hadn't thought about his father since he'd been released from Azkaban.

"My father is never getting out of Azkaban," Draco told her. "It doesn't matter."

"He's still your father," Hermione pointed out.

"Yes, he's my father," Draco said, sitting up without warning, causing Hermione to slide behind him. She righted herself and looked at the vein pulsing in his neck. "He's my father but he's the reason that my life is so bloody fucked up. He taught me to hate, he brought Voldemort into our lives, into our home, he taught me to blindly follow someone who would kill for no reason other than he didn't like a certain kind of person."

Hermione reached for Draco's hands but he wrenched away and stood, his hands clenched in fists, staring down at her. "He would kill you and not think twice."

She rose cautiously and covered his fists with her hands. She stood up on her toes and kissed his clenched jaw, then kissed his lips. "It's a very good thing then, that you're nothing like him."

"But I was," Draco said, pulling away from her and turning his back. "Up until three months ago, I was exactly like him. Maybe I'm too far gone to really change."

Hermione walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his back. Draco's hands automatically came to rest on top of hers.

"You want to know how I know you've changed?" Hermione asked. When he didn't respond she continued. "This, right here," she said, squeezing her arms around him. "The old you would have never let me do this."

Draco still didn't answer.

"You know how else I know? You haven't called me a Mudblood since the first day we started working together," she told him, hugging him tighter when he flinched at her use of the word. "It used to roll so easily off your tongue. And that, that right there. You flinch when you hear it. The old you would have never done that."

"So I react differently to you," Draco said. "My father always had a soft spot for my mother, it could be nothing more than that."

"No, no, I don't think so," Hermione replied. "Turn around."

He reluctantly slid out of her arms and turned to face her. "Blaise told me what you told him about Gina," Hermione told him and watched as the emotions ran across his face. "He also told me that you looked like you were going to be sick when you realized it was her. And that when he asked you to tell him your side was right, you didn't say a word."

Draco shook his head in denial and tried to walk away from Hermione but she grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"You told me about the prisoners you killed, your moment of weakness, I know about lowering your wand when you were tasked with killing Dumbledore. Come here," she said in a firm voice.

He shook his head again but this time, allowed Hermione wrap her arms around him. "That has nothing to do with me, Draco," she told him. "None of it. You had already started to change, long before today, long before you were released from Azkaban. The last few months just gave you the kick you needed to finish what had been started."

"The trigger," Draco said quietly, remembering Blaise's words. Overwhelmed, Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione and hugged her close. She stroked his back.

"Thank you," he said into her hair.

"You're welcome," she replied.

A loud buzzer went off, causing Draco to jump and half toss Hermione behind him.

"What the hell is that?"

"It's the buzzer for my flat," she said with a laugh, freeing herself from his grip. "The food is here."

She ran into the kitchen and grabbed her wallet out of the same drawer the phone was in and walked out of the flat. While she was gone, Draco took a minute to try and pull himself together. This wasn't him, he thought. The kind of man to fall apart like this. But then again, he considered, he wasn't really sure who he was any more. He felt lost, unsure of where to go or what to do. Just then Hermione came bounding back into the flat and he felt his world shift and center. Here was his direction, he said to himself. She would help him. Merlin he sounded like a sap, he thought, shaking his head. He'd have to work on that too.

Seeing that Draco looked preoccupied, Hermione went in to the kitchen and set out all of the food. She grabbed two plates and, deciding Draco had had enough new things for one day, pulled out forks instead of chopsticks. She turned to walk from the kitchen into the living room and nearly collided with Draco who was standing in the doorway.

"Merlin!" she shouted, clutching her heart. "You scared me!"

"You'd think someone who survived a war wouldn't scare so easily," Draco said with a smile. "Or jump so high when they realize someone is behind them."

"Oh bugger off," she replied with a laugh. "Are you ready to eat?"

Draco looked at all the different foods spread out on the table. "Only if you tell me what exactly it is I'm eating," he said.

"I can do that," Hermione answered.

The two sat down and spent the next two hours eating, talking, and laughing. Almost as if they were a normal...couple? Hermione thought, as she watched Draco struggle with the lo mein. They were friends at least, she hoped, and obviously more since they'd snogged a couple of times but where was this going? What did he want? They'd take it slow, she decided. And see what happened.

Draco caught Hermione staring at him as he nearly choked on a noodle. I can practically hear her brain grinding from here, he thought, and realized he found it endearing more than annoying. Merlin he was really turning into a sap. He'd have to go kick his house elf or something to feel manly again.

They finished the meal and Hermione cleared the dishes. Draco wandered back into the living room as she put away the remainder of the food in the refrigerator. He laid down on the couch and, almost immediately, fell asleep. That's how Hermione found him when she emerged from the kitchen 10 minutes later. With a smile, she just stared at him for a few minutes. It had been an exhausting day for him, she thought. Mentally, more so than physically. He needed to sleep. So she covered him with a blanket and leaned over and gave him a kiss. She pulled back but he grabbed her wrist and she tumbled on top of him.

"Stay," he murmured and wrapped his arms around her. With a content sigh, Hermione settled herself next to him and closed her eyes. They were both awoken, however, in the early hours of the morning by bells ringing, waking Hermione instantly.

"Whatszthat?" Draco asked her, holding on to her as she tried to pull away.

"My floo," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the lips before disentangling herself from him and quickly putting her hair in a bun on top of her head. "I charmed it to ring before someone calls."

Sure enough as soon as she finished her sentence, Blaise's head appeared. "Hermione, you have to come now," he said frantically. "Draco never came home last night, I can't find him anywhere, and I need you to come here right now."

Then he noticed Draco lying behind her. He looked from Draco to Hermione and back and then grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Son of a bitch, looks like I owe my wife 10 galleons."

"What?" Hermione asked. "Why? And where are you?"

Blaise face quickly changed from a smile to concerned. "Malfoy Manor. Something is wrong with Narcissa," he said.

Draco jolted fully awake and jumped from the couch. "What's wrong with my mother?"

"Draco, you go," she told him. "I just need to grab a few things and I'll be right behind you. My floo is connected to your mother's room."

Not waiting for a response, she ran from the room. Blaise's head disappeared from the floo and Draco stepped through it, bracing himself for the worst.

* * *

A/N: BUM BUM BUUUUUUUM. Things are about to get very interesting!


	25. Chapter 25

Draco stepped in to his mother's room and immediately rushed to her side. She was convulsing, her eyes wide, and her skin was slicked with sweat.

"Help me hold her," Blaise said, half on the bed, half off with Narcissa's head in his lap. "She could hurt herself if she convulses and falls off the bed or hits something."

Draco jumped on to the bed and helped Blaise hold his mother. Hermione came through the floo a minute later, a small purple bag in one hand and a blue bottle in the other but the minute she saw Narcissa her face went from concerned to furious. She rushed to the bed and set the blue bottle on the bedside table. She set down her back as well and immediately began rummaging through it. Ten seconds later, she pulled out a cauldron and five seconds after that several other ingredients that Draco recognized as fire seeds, powdered graphorn, billywig stings, and chizpurfle carapaces.

"Granger," he exclaimed. "Now is not the time for you to play mad potion master."

"Shut up," she snapped and quickly dropped everything into the cauldron. The bottom of the cauldron turned red and she began to mix the potion slowly. Meanwhile, Draco and Blaise were trying to hold on to Narcissa whose seizing was rapidly becoming more violent.

"Granger, will you do something?" Draco shouted.

When Hermione ignored him Blaise said, "Mate, she knows what she's doing, just leave her alone."

Blaise had barely finished the sentence when Hermione, taking the entire cauldron, walked toward Narcissa.

"What the bloody hell are you going to do with that?" Draco cried.

Hermione muttered a spell and the cauldron transformed into a large glass.

"Sit her up," Hermione instructed and the men did as she said. Hermione climbed onto the bed, practically on top of Narcissa and began to pour the potion down her throat. It spilled on her face and slid down her neck.

"You're making a mess," Draco pointed out.

"Shut up!" Hermione and Blaise said simultaneously.

"She only has to drink half," Hermione said, still pouring. "That's why I made so much, it's difficult to get it all down when someone is having a seizure."

To everyone's relief, the seizing slowed and then after a few minutes, stopped all together. Hermione finished pouring the remainder of the potion down Narcissa's throat as the color began to return to her face. Hermione got off the bed and set the glass on the side table where it immediately returned to it's former form. With a quick Scourgify Hermione cleaned the potion from Narcissa and her bed.

"Tuck her in," she told Blaise and Draco. "She'll be just fine. I'm going to take this all back to my flat quickly but as soon as I come back I need to speak to both of you, somewhere that she can't hear us."

Hermione quickly gathered her things and flooed out of the room. Draco and Blaise carefully tucked the sleeping Narcissa into her bed and got off the bed.

"Thank you," Draco said, looking at his best friend. "I'm guessing it was you who set up the floo between my mother's room and Granger's flat?"

"No, actually," Blaise replied. "It was Hermione's idea in case Narcissa ever needed something. Your mother's room is the only place in the Manor she's willing to step foot in."

"I owe her more than I even realized," Draco murmured.

"Speaking of Hermione," Blaise said, a sly grin crossing his face. "What's going on there?"

"Honestly?" Draco answered. "I have no idea. I've been horrible to her most of our lives, fallen apart on her multiple times in the last few days and she seems hell bent on sticking by me while I figure this all out."

"It's extraordinary when they do that, you know?" Blaise said. "Gina does that and I can't figure out why. But what do you mean by figure this all out?"

"Oh, you haven't heard?" Draco said wryly. "I'm reformed."

"You've been 'reformed' for months," Blaise answered, in the same tone.

"No, I mean, actually," Draco told him, sincerity coming over his face. "I saw Goyle, then Granger told me about finding all of them here and that did it. That was my trigger."

"You didn't know?" Blaise asked surprised. "I always assumed you did."

"I had no idea," Draco confirmed. "I thought Crabbe and the others were all dead, killed by the Order. That's what the Dark- er, Voldemort told me. It was a hell of a motivator at the time."

"You said his name," Blaise observed.

"Granger says I should," Draco answered with a shrug. "Something about being afraid of the name makes him a big scary bloke."

Blaise laughed at his butchering of what he was sure Hermione had phrased much more eloquently. "So now what?"

"Now? I have absolutely no idea," Draco replied. "Everything I know was a lie, everything I was taught was wrong. Where do I go from here? What did you do?"

"I made my own life," Blaise said. "I decided being an advocate was how I wanted to pay back the wizarding community for giving me a second chance. I fell in love with and married a strong, beautiful and talented muggle born witch who stood by me every step of the way. I replaced all of the hate and supremacy bullshit with decency. Hell, I befriended Harry fucking Potter and that whole lot."

"I wouldn't count on me doing the last part," Draco told him. "They're still a bunch of wankers."

"They grow on you," was all Blaise had to say about that. "But seriously mate, you have to figure out what you want to do with your life. You still have three months left with Hermione at her lab, maybe you can use that time to figure out exactly what you want your life to be."

Before Draco could respond, Hermione came back through the floo. She walked passed them without a word and checked on Narcissa. She turned back to them and Draco noticed she was still furious.

"Where can we talk?" she snapped.

Draco and Blaise looked at each other then back at Hermione. "I set up an office in the room next door," Blaise said. "We can talk there."

"Let's go," Hermione said shortly.

Bewildered Blaise led the way, followed by Hermione, with Draco bringing up the rear. As soon as they were in the office Hermione cast a Muffulato to ensure Narcissa wouldn't hear the conversation.

"Hermione," Draco said cautiously, hoping his use of her first name would calm her. "What's wrong?"

"That wasn't just an episode," Hermione said, her anger bubbling over.

"What do you mean?" Blaise asked, suddenly alert.

Hermione turned to Draco. "You saw what I used," Hermione said. "What potion comes from those four ingredients?"

"Granger you mixed a lot of things into that cauldron," he argued. "And I was a bit preoccupied trying to keep my mother from hurting herself."

"Fire seeds, powdered graphorn, billywig stings, and chizpurfle carapaces," Hermione said listing them off. "Come on Draco, we learned this third year."

Hearing her list off the ingredients, Draco recognized it right away. "That's the ingredients for the Antidote for Uncommon Poisons," he realized then felt his anger rise up in his chest. "Why did you have to brew that potion?

"I recognized it the minute I walked into the room," Hermione told him. "Someone poisoned Narcissa. Whoever did it was clever, it was probably something simple, like Doxy venom, perhaps in her tea and because of her condition, the poisoning triggered an episode."

Draco looked stunned by what she had said but Hermione wasn't done.

"Someone just tried to kill your mother."

* * *

A/N: :O

Also, if you're enjoying the story, review! Or favorite! :)


	26. Chapter 26

"That's not possible," Blaise said when Draco simply stood there with a stunned look on his face. "Narcissa barely leaves the house and the wards only allow certain people into the Manor."

"How did you change the wards?" Draco asked Blaise.

"What do you mean?" Blaise asked, confused.

"Blood wards protect Malfoy Manor," Draco answered. "Only a Malfoy, a blood Malfoy, can change the wards of the house and the land around it. How did you get around that?"

"I didn't," Blaise said. "The Ministry set up their own wards, I didn't even think about your blood wards."

"Blood wards are stronger than any other type," Hermione chimed in, thinking aloud. "Malfoy who are the blood wards set to let in?"

"Death Eaters," Malfoy said matter-of-factly. "If they haven't been changed since the war, which they couldn't have been since my father and I were in jail, any Death Eater could easily gain access to the Manor."

"But all the Death Eaters are in jail," Hermione pointed out.

"Yes," Blaise said. "But a number of their children aren't. Several wives as well. And blood wards recognize blood, not who the person is."

"How is it I'm able to be here then?" Hermione asked curious.

"When you were held here the wards were altered to allow you, Potter, and Weasley into the manor," Draco told her. "It was so you could be easily brought in once you were captured."

"Fantastic," Hermione replied, suddenly very uncomfortable. "Can you fix them?"

"The wards?" Draco asked. "Absolutely. I'll go do that now."

"I'm going to go," Hermione told them. "I have some things to do before I go to the hospital."

"It's Saturday, Hermione," Blaise pointed out.

Hermione simply smiled and moved toward the fireplace.

"See you at work?" Draco asked hesitantly, avoiding Blaise's raised eyebrow at his question. Working on the weekend wasn't part of the agreement.

"See you at work," Hermione said with a soft smile. "Bye Malfoy, Bye Blaise." She walked out of the room and they heard the spin of the floo a minute later.

"See you at work," Blaise said in a mocking tone, laughing when Draco tossed a quill in his direction.

"Bugger off," Draco replied and moved to walk out of the room. "I'm going to check on my mother."

"Your mother is fine," Blaise said stopping him. "And if you think you're going to get out of here without us discussing the fact that you're going to work on a day you don't have to."

"You don't think I have a vested interest in her work progressing?" Draco asked him. "She's doing brilliant work right now and I think I can help."

"If someone had told me five years ago that Draco Malfoy wanted to help someone I would have had them taken to St. Mungo's immediately," Blaise said with a grin. "Welcome to being reformed mate."

Draco gave him a look and shook his head. "Are we done here? Can I go?"

"Yes, yes, go get ready for work," Blaise said with a grin. "Have a great time!"

"You're a child," Draco told him and turned to walk out of the room when all Blaise did was grin in response.

"Don't forget we have dinner with Pansy and Weasley tomorrow!" Blaise called out. "Bring Hermione!"

Draco waved a hand to acknowledge he'd heard him but didn't turn back around. Maybe he would ask her, he thought. She was the only one in the group who liked him and didn't annoy him. He'd bring it up at work, he decided, and see what she said.

He walked through Malfoy Manor then down into the dungeons. His mother hadn't renovated here, he noted. It still looked exactly the same as it had during the war, stone walls, dimly lit, cells lining the left wall. Exactly the same as when his friends had been held captive. Suddenly the thought of all of them, of everything that had happened, made him sick to his stomach. He managed to brace himself on the wall before he threw up. He turned and rested his back against the cool stone wall and wiped his mouth.

"Jake," he called.

Jake appeared and squeaked. "Is Master Draco okay?"

"Jake, clean this up," he said. "Bring me some water so I can rinse out my mouth."

"Jake can clean Master's mouth for him," Jake said. "Quick spell."

"Uh, sure," Draco conceded apprehensively.

Jake waived his little hand and there was a tingling in Draco's mouth. The taste of vomit was gone replaced with a slight mint flavor.

"Very good, Jake," he said sliding his tongue over his teeth. "Now clean this up. Also check on my mother every half hour, if anything at all goes wrong you are to immediately find me."

"Yes sir!" Jake pipped. With a snap, the vomit disappeared and with a small pop Jake did too.

Steadier, Draco made his way to the far end of the basement. There the Malfoy family crest was etched into the wall. Realizing he didn't have a wand, Draco took a piece of glass and slid it across his palm. He placed his bloody palm against the crest. The crest absorbed the blood and a minute later, Draco's hand was healed. He then set about changing the wards, grateful that to do so required his blood and minimal wandless magic, not his wand. After 15 minutes of different spells and charms, the Manor only allowed a Malfoy, Blaise, Pansy, Hermione, or anyone traveling with one of them. Anyone else who tried to enter the Manor would be transported to a cell in the dungeons and Draco would be alerted immediately. Satisfied that his home was now safe, he walked quickly out of the dungeons, avoiding looking around him. He breathed a sigh of relief once he was back on the main floor. He heard the clock in the main hall chime 9:00am and decided to get a couple more hours of sleep before heading to St. Mungo's. He walked upstairs and checked on his mother. She was sleeping peacefully. Draco then walked to his own room and fell into bed. He was asleep within minutes of his head hitting the pillow.

Hermione on the other hand was wide awake, laying in her bed in her flat after having strengthened her own wards. If someone went after Narcissa, they probably weren't going to go after her too, but she wanted to be sure. She closed her eyes and lay there for a few minutes before opening them again. Sleep obviously wasn't going to come so she got out of bed, showered, got dressed, and ate breakfast. With nothing left to do in her flat, she decided she'd just go to work, perhaps see her interns who'd been suspiciously absent since Malfoy had started working for her. In fact, she realized, she hadn't seen Barb, her third intern, at all. Suddenly concerned about them, Hermione gathered her things and walked out of her flat. Making sure no one was around she used her muggle key to lock the door, then her wand to secure the wards. She slid her wand up the sleeve of the sweater she was wearing and walked out of her building toward Diagon Alley.

Not a minute after she left the house, Hermione had the feeling she was being followed. Unsure if it was a muggle or a wizard, she slid her wand down her sleeve and into her hand. She stopped walking and bent down, pretending to tie her shoe, but looking carefully at her reflection in the shop window and saw someone with dark jeans and a hoodie, with the hood up stopped, pretending to be looking in the window of the shop behind her. She could clearly see a wand in their hand. So a wizard, she thought, most likely expecting to catch her in the alley that led to the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione could feel her instincts from the war kicking in and she calmly stood and continued to walk. As she passed the shops along the street she kept an eye on the reflections in the glass. The hooded person was definitely following her, but at enough of a distance that she could probably catch them off guard. Hermione turned into the alley and immediately flattened herself against the wall. The person turned the corner and walked just passed where she was and stopped. The person pulled out their wand but before they could do anything Hermione stunned them. The person dropped to the ground and Hermione, making sure there were no muggles, quickly levitated the person down the alley and through the door to the Leaky Cauldron. She was relieved to see Michael Corner behind the bar.

"Michael," she called, levitating the man onto one of the tables.

He rushed over to her immediately. "Hermione, are you alright?" he asked, concerned. "Who is this?"

"He was going to attack me in the alley," Hermione told him. "Can you call Harry? Please? The auror office should know how to get a hold of him."

"Absolutely," he said, moving quickly to the fireplace to place the call.

Hermione quickly conjured ropes and tied the person to the table. With a flick of her wand, she removed the hood and saw it was a man, one she didn't recognize. Since he was unconscious, she examined his wand and went through the pockets of his clothing. She found a piece of paper with her address on it, nothing else. The man started to wake up and, unsure of what else to do, Hermione stunned him again and his head hit the wooden table with a thump.

Michael came back over and said, "Harry wasn't there but the woman I spoke to said she'd get a hold of him and send him directly here. Who is it?"

"I was going to ask you if you recognized him," Hermione answered. "I guess you don't?"

"No," Michael told her. "He doesn't look familiar at all."

"I guess we'll just wait and see what Harry thinks," Hermione said with a shrug.

"Can I get you a drink?" Michael asked her. "On the house."

"A butterbeer would be great," Hermione replied with a smile. "Thanks."

Michael walked away and returned a minute later with two butterbeers. The two sat at the table next to the one the man was tied two and chatted amiably for twenty minutes before Harry came barreling through the floo with Seamus right behind him. He looked at the man tied to the table, then Hermione who'd risen from her chair when she heard the floo and grabbed her in a tight hug.

"Are you okay?" he said, squeezing her.

"Can't...breathe…," Hermione gasped in reply.

Harry immediately loosened his hold. "Seamus, secure him," Harry said without looking at the unconscious man. "Tell me what happened, Hermione."

Hermione recounted to Harry what had happened while Seamus undid Hermione's rope spell and used the standard auror arresting spells to secure the man. Hermione had just finished explaining to Harry how she'd levitated the man into the Leaky Cauldron when Seamus interrupted.

"Uh, Harry?" he said. "You may want to take a look at this."

Harry turned and watched as the man's face, then body began to change.

"Polyjuice potion," Hermione said.

The four watched with curiosity as the man transfigured back into his original form.

"I don't know who he is," Hermione said when the Polyjuice potion finished wearing off. "He looks vaguely familiar though."

"I do," Harry told them, his mouth set in a firm line. "That's Rabastan Lestrange."

* * *

A/N: EVERYTHING IS SO DRAMATIIIIIIIIIC. I can't help myself!


	27. Chapter 27

At the name Lestrange, Hermione felt her heart clutch and she took a step back.

"Are you sure?" Michael asked. "I thought he was dead after the battle."

"We assumed he was," Seamus said grimly. "But we never found a body."

"We need to get him to Azkaban, NOW," Harry replied. "Seamus, go back to the Ministry, I want a full transport team here in 2 minutes. Go."

Seamus pulled a portkey from his pocket and activated it. Once he was gone, Harry turned to Hermione. "You need to go home," he said. "I'll be over as soon as I get this all sorted out. It shouldn't be more than a few hours."

"I have work," she told him. "You know I need to check my patients daily."

"You can check them later," he told her. "Right now, I need to know that you're safe. Hermione, he had your address, he got it from someone or somewhere. There could be others and you're not an auror."

"I am the one who stunned him in the alley, brought him here, unconscious, and tied him up," Hermione reminded him. "I can obviously take care of myself as well as you. I fought in the same war that you did."

"Fine," Harry conceded. "You can go to work but don't you dare leave there until I've come by to see you, okay?"

"Yes," Hermione said, walking up to him and kissing him on the cheek. "I'll floo straight to St. Mungo's from here. Go take care of the bad guy."

Hermione walked to the floo and just as she stepped through she saw Seamus appear with six other wizards and Harry began to bark orders. She walked out of the floo at St. Mungo's and quickly made her way to her office. She grabbed a few files, her journal, and a potion and left a note charmed to the door for Draco to go directly to the lab. Hermione passed through the door and altered it so Harry could get through when he got there. She doubled checked the wards and found them to be secure. She went into the room where she'd left Draco to work and cleared a space for herself. She left her files on the desk and went to find her interns.

Barb, David, and Linda were all sitting in the extra office surrounded by volumes of books and stacks of parchment.

"How's the research going in here?" she asked them with a smile. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much to help you."

"We haven't found much," Barb told Hermione, scratching her quill against her head. "There's absolutely no documentation of any spells that make the victims feel like they're drowning or burning alive. Are you sure those are real spells?"

Hermione thought to her wing full of patients. "Yes," she replied. "I'm sure they exist. So if there's no history of these spells, they just came to be in the last few years. What does that tell us?

"I don't know," Linda chimed in. "We need to keep better records?"

"That the spells were probably invented by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," David said, throwing an irritated look in Linda's direction. "Or one of his Death Eaters. Right?"

"Exactly," Hermione said. "Do any of you know how a spell is created?"

They all shook their heads that they didn't.

"Spells are created using the right combination of wand movement and magic," she told them. "We can't possibly replicate magic like Voldemort's, it's dark magic in its purest form, but all modern spells originate from existing ones. So if we can find the spell or spells that he based his on, we can perhaps alter their counterspell to counter the new spell."

"So we have to find a spell that does something similar to what those spells do?" Linda asked.

"Right," Hermione answered.

"Do the spells leave any physical marks?" Barb asked. "Like burns or water in the person's lungs or something?"

"None," Hermione replied, looking pleased.

"So then what are we supposed to do?" David asked.

"Deconstruct the spell," Hermione told them. "I want you to look for all spells that have something to do with water, even if it's something small, be it shooting water out or moving water in some way. Also look for all spells that have something to do with fire, maybe creating a fire or putting a fire out. Make me a list of what the spell is, how it's conjured, what is does, and if there's a counterspell."

"What if there's a spell that we aren't sure about?" Linda wanted to know.

"Put it on the list anyway," Hermione replied. "It could be anything and we don't want to miss one."

"We're going to have to go back to the Archives," David said. "Do you think we'd be able to get into Hogwarts?"

"Absolutely," Hermione said. "I'll write Headmistress McGonegall and set up a time for you to visit the Hogwarts library. I'll let you know when I hear back from her."

"We'll head to the Archives then," Barb replied. "We can get started there and then head to Hogwarts as soon as you hear back."

"Great idea," Hermione answered. "I'll send an interdepartment memo once I hear back from her. Any other questions?"

The interns shook their heads so Hermione walked out of the room. She'd assumed the spells were created by Voldemort but now she knew for sure. She'd let the interns research the spells and from there, she'd see which ones could have been altered to create the spells used against some of her patients. It was a step, a really good step, in the right direction. Happy with the progress, Hermione returned to her office and floo called McGonegall. The Headmistress answered a moment later.

"Hermione, hello," she greeted her former pupil. "How can I help you?"

"Hello Professor!" Hermione greeted her cheerily. "Would it be possible to have my interns come and use the Hogwarts library? I need them to complete some research related to the burning and drowning spells."

"Of course," McGonegall replied. "Why don't you have them come tomorrow? I can have one of the prefects meet them and take them where they need to go."

"That would be great," Hermione said. "Thank you so much! Take care!"

"Hermione, wait!" McGonegall called out before Hermione could disconnect the floo. "How are things with Mr. Malfoy?"

Hermione paused for a moment before answering. "He works very hard," she answered. "He's...different."

"Is he truly?" McGonegall asked. "I don't doubt you and Ms. Lovegood but it seems like quite a drastic change."

"He's changed, Professor," Hermione told her, confidently. "Perhaps I'll send him as well when the interns go so you can see for yourself."

"I trust you," McGonegall replied. "I'll see your interns tomorrow then. Goodbye."

The floo call disconnected and Hermione sat back from the fireplace. Draco likely wouldn't have been happy about going back to Hogwarts, Hermione thought to herself. And she was willing to admit to herself that, because she cared for him, she didn't want to do anything that would make him unhappy. Thank goodness for Professor McGonegall's faith in her. Rising from the floor, Hermione went back to her desk, wrote a quick memo, and sent it off to the interns letting them know to report to Hogwarts the following day. After that, Hermione returned to the room where she'd left her things and went to work.

* * *

A/N: This is kind of a filler chapter that I needed to explain Hermione's work so it's not very good. I'll post another chapter in a minute!


	28. Chapter 28

Hermione walked in to find Draco sitting on the other side of the desk. He looked up at her and smiled.

"You're early," she said to him.

"I was sitting around the Manor with nothing to do," he replied. "So I figured I'd come here, see what we could do."

She sat across from him and explained to him her theory and what the interns were doing to research it.

"That's brilliant," Draco told her. "But I could have told you that. Voldemort always bragged about how he'd invented the spells himself, created specially for use against those who disobeyed him."

"That's horrible," Hermione said with a shudder.

"So what should we do?" Draco asked.

"Well, I promised Harry I'd stay here until he came by," Hermione told him. "So we have to stay here in the lab, why don't we play around with potions? I'm always looking for ways to make them stronger or last longer, maybe you could help?"

"I actually have a few ideas," Draco told her, pulling out the pieces of parchment from the first day. "This is what you saw me writing."

He handed her the pieces of parchment. Hermione scanned over the first few pages quickly and said excitedly, "you have several things here that I'd never thought of. These potion combinations just much work!"

Draco smiled at her, a real genuine smile, and Hermione felt her heart nearly stop.

"They're just ideas," he said. "I don't even know if they'll work."

"That's why we have a lab," she replied. "To try."

She jumped out of the chair so quickly she dropped the papers. Draco bent down next to her and as they were picking them up, two pages caught her eye at the same time they caught Draco's. He reached over her arm and snatched them, balling them into his hand.

"What do they say?" she asked, looking him in the eye.

"Nothing," Draco said, tightening his fist. "I wrote this the first day. It's not important now."

"Let me see," Hermione requested. "Let me see them Malfoy."

"No," he said, standing quickly. "You don't need to."

Hermione rose as well and stood, facing him. "I saw what it said," she told him. "You don't feel that way anymore."

"No," he replied. "I don't feel that way anymore. It's changed."

Hermione blushed at his response and he moved closer to her until she was an inch away. "It's changed?" she asked, looking up at him.

Draco stared down at her, a number of things were on the tip of his tongue. "Yes," he said finally. "It's definitely changed."

He placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her softly. Hermione moved into him, sliding her hands up his chest, then down. Draco slid one hand into her hair and slid the other around her back to hold her against him. Their tongues tangled as the kiss quickly went from calm to heated. Draco moved toward Hermione and the back of her legs bumped the desk. He lifted her on to it, scattering papers, everywhere.

"Draco!" Hermione exclaimed, breaking the kiss. Unphased, Draco moved to her neck, kissing his way down then back up to her waiting mouth. Hermione decided they could worry about the papers later and slid her hands up his back.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. The sound caused Hermione to jump, knocking Draco's nose.

"Oh no!" Hermione exclaimed as blood began to run from Draco's nose. She grabbed for her wand as the door opened and Harry walked in.

"What's going on?" Harry demanded, looking at Malfoy.

"I hit him in the nose!" Hermione told him. "Malfoy, let me help."

Draco moved his hand from his nose and with a quick spell, the bleeding stopped.

"Why did you hit him in the nose?" Harry wanted to know, looking more entertained than worried.

"We were...uh...talking, and the knock at the door scared me," Hermione said. "When I jumped I accidentally hit him."

"You know Granger," Draco chimed in. "That's the second time you've punched me in the face."

"You deserved it the first time,"Hermione reminded him. "I am sorry though about this time. Does it feel alright?"

"It's fine," Draco said, swatting her hand away when she reached toward him to prod his nose. "You fixed it, bugger off."

Harry watched their exchange with fascination. It was almost as if they were...friends? Harry thought, as Draco swatted at Hermione's outreached hand again and she laughed.

"So anyway," Harry said, interrupting. "Rabastan won't tell us anything, but from what we can tell he Imperioed a muggle to follow you and get your address, then used the same muggle for his polyjuice potion. We can't figure though where he got the ingredients for it or how he brewed it, but he could have easily broken in somewhere and done it there."

"Hold on," Draco said, speaking directly to Harry. "Rabastan Lestrange is alive?"

"Yes," Harry replied. "Though I'm not sure you're supposed to know that."

"He won't tell, Harry," Hermione said quickly. "Am I alright to go home?"

"I'd rather you come and stay with Ginny and I," Harry told her. "You'd be safer there."

"Safer?" Draco said. "Why wouldn't you be safe at your flat?"

"I would be," Hermione said. "I did the wards at Grimmauld Place, Harry, you know my wards are just as strong as yours. I'll be fine."

"I figured you'd say that," Harry replied, holding out a key on a thin gold chain. "Take this, it's an emergency portkey. If something happens, activate it, and it'll bring you straight to the Auror's office."

Hermione took the key from Harry and slid it around her neck. "I won't need it," she told him.

"I'll feel better if you have it," Harry said.

"If you're done," Draco interrupted. "Will one of you please tell me what's going on?"

"It's none of your business," Harry told him.

Draco was about to say something but thought better of it when Hermione gave him a look that said shut up.

"Thank you," Hermione said, steering Harry toward the door. "I think I'll get Malfoy back then head home now."

"Use the portkey," Harry told her, then gave her a quick hug.

"Bye Harry," she replied and watched him walk down the hall. She shut the door behind her and turned to face Draco, bracing herself for whatever came next.

"Care to fill me in?" Draco said through his teeth. Hermione could see that his anger was barely contained.

"Malfoy, calm down," Hermione replied, walking toward him.

"Tell me what happened," Draco said in the same tone as before.

Hermione kept walking until she was standing right in front of him. She touched the left side of his face with her right hand, trying to soothe. "Everything is okay."

"No it's fucking not," Draco shouted, grabbing her hand but leaving it on his face. "Rabastan Lestrange is after you? Are you serious?"

"He tried to attack me in an alley," Hermione told him calmly, putting her head against his chest. "I stunned him, took him into the Leaky Cauldron, called Harry, and now he's in Azkaban."

"He didn't hurt you?" he asked, still holding her hand.

"No," Hermione replied. "Only scared me a little."

Then, to her surprise, Draco let go of her hand and hugged her tightly. Hermione ran her hands along his back, rubbing away the tension in his body.

"I knew he wasn't dead," Draco told her, pulling back to look at her face. "At least, I was pretty sure he wasn't."

"How did you know?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"Just a gut feeling, I swear," Draco replied. "Nothing more. I just…I knew if he wasn't in Azkaban and his body wasn't found, he was probably alive. He was always slippery. It's why Voldemort liked him."

At the mention of Voldemort's name, Hermione's eyes grew wide. "Oh my, Draco, would he have had access to the Manor?"

"Yes," Draco said grimly. "He's family and he was a Death Eater, he could have easily gotten in to the Manor, gotten to my mother."

"We need to check on her!" Hermione exclaimed, pulling out of his arms.

"I changed the blood wards this morning," Draco told her, catching her wrist and pulling her back to him. "My mother is fine."

"We should tell Harry about what happened to your mother," Hermione said. "And that he had access to the Manor up until this morning."

"Tomorrow," Draco answered. "Can I ask a favor?"

"Sure," Hermione replied.

"Will you come to dinner at Pansy's with me?" he asked hesitantly, releasing her so he could see her face. "I know it's short notice, but Pansy wants Blaise and I to spend some time with Weaselbee and Blaise is bringing Gina and if you come then there will be at least one person I can stand…"

"Yes," Hermione said with a smile. "But you're going to have to call him Ronald, or Ron, or even Weasley. No mean nicknames."

"I'll be nice if he's nice," Draco told her. "You can't expect more than that."

"Okay," Hermione answered. "What time is dinner?"

"7:00pm," he told her. "At Pansy's house, I hope that's alright."

"She's been dating my best friend for over a year, Malfoy," Hermione replied with a laugh. "I've been to her house, several times actually."

"Oh, okay," Draco said, feeling better about dragging Hermione to dinner. "Let's go, I think we've gotten enough accomplished today."

"We've barely done anything other than argue and snog!" Hermione exclaimed. "We have several hours of research we should get done, then I have rounds, then there's probably a bit of time for more research, and…"

Hermione's list was cut short by Draco's mouth covering hers. "Granger?" he said when he released her lips.

"Yeah?" she replied, staring into his eyes.

"Time to leave," he told her. "Let's go do your rounds and then we'll go to your flat and relax because that's what normal people do after work."

"You can hardly call us normal," Hermione pointed out but Draco shushed her with another kiss.

"Rounds, then we're leaving," he said, taking her hand in his and he pulled her out of the office.

* * *

A/N: Okay, don't get excited but I have started writing a new Dramione. I had absolutely no plan to write another right now but the story came to me and just wouldn't let me go. I have no idea when it'll get finished and I refuse to publish a story that isn't already finished but this was just a heads up that this won't be the last that you hear from me!


	29. Chapter 29

At 6:30pm the following evening Draco found himself nervously pacing in front of his mother's fireplace. Earlier that morning he and Hermione had agreed that he would floo to her flat at 6:45pm and then would then apparate together to Pansy's home. He was dressed in muggle clothes, purchased by Pansy, worn at her insistence. He actually didn't mind them, he was surprised to find. The jeans fit well and she'd chosen a dark green jumper over a white shirt to go with them. He was nervous though because he realized no one at the dinner knew that he and Hermione were…whatever it was that they were and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to behave. He'd spent the last ten minutes debating whether or not to floo to her flat early so they could talk about it and had decided against it in case she wasn't dressed though the idea of seeing her undressed had a great deal of appeal so he began to consider going over early again. He was so wrapped up in his pacing and his thoughts that he didn't hear his mother enter the room until she touched his shoulder and he shouted in alarm.

"Merlin mother," he shouted, clutching his heart. "You scared me half to death."

"You are in my room," she pointed out. "Dare I ask why?"

"I'm going to dinner at Pansy's," he reminded her.

"Yes, I know that," Narcissa replied. "But why in Merlin's name are you in my bedroom?"

Draco froze, realizing he hadn't told his mother about his relationship with Hermione. His mother stared at him expectantly.

"I asked Granger to go with me," he said finally. "I've been, er, seeing her. Sort of."

"Of course you see her," Narcissa answered airly. "You work together."

"Not that kind of seeing her," Draco replied uncomfortably.

"You aren't going to work?" Narcissa asked, her eyes wide.

"I am," Draco said distraught. "And I see her at work but I also see her, not at work. Not as a co-worker."

"I'm sorry dear," Narcissa said, fighting to keep the grin off her face. "I don't follow what you're saying."

"I have feelings for her," Draco told her slightly exasperated. "And I'm going to dinner tonight and no one knows and I don't know what to do or how to act and that's why I'm pacing in your bedroom!"

It took all of Narcissa's restraint to not laugh at how distraught her son sounded. "Well I imagine you could just tell them," she replied. "Though I would certainly hope you'd tell them with more tact than you just told me."

"I'm sorry, mother," Draco said wearily. "But Weasley hates me, Blaise's wife thinks I'm an ass, and I don't even think I'm good enough for her so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to face all of them and tell them I care for their friend."

"I'd imagine saying something along those lines ought to do the trick," Narcissa told him with a smile. "My dear boy, does she care for you?"

"I think so," Draco answered. "Though I have no idea why."

"Go tell her what you're feeling," Narcissa said. "Without shouting. Then you can figure it out together."

"So I should go?" Draco asked. "Even though I'm early?"

"You're not early anymore," Narcissa said, pointing to the clock that read 6:45pm.

Draco looked at the clock, hugged his mother quickly, and flooed to Hermione's flat without a second thought.

When he stepped out of the floo, he saw Hermione coming out of the kitchen and he felt the breath leave his body. She was wearing a long, dark red dress that seemed to flow as she walked toward him.

"Hi," she said shyly. "You look very handsome."

"You look…," Draco stopped, unable to finish. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Hermione blushed at what he said and stopped so she was standing directly in front of him. She must have been wearing heels, he thought, because her lips were closer to his than usual. Unsure, she gave him a tentative kiss on the cheek, which seemed to snap Draco out of his spell and he turned his head so he could kiss her lips properly.

When the kiss broke, Hermione looked at him and rested her hands against his chest. " There's something we should talk about before we go to dinner," she said. "Harry and Ginny are also going to be at dinner."

Draco scowled but replied, "I'll be nice, don't worry."

"Harry, Ron, and Ginny are my best friends," she told him. "I know Blaise is yours. None of them know about...you and I and I'm not sure how to tell them."

Draco felt his stomach sink. "You don't want to tell them," he said quietly. "It's fine when it's just you and I, or walking through St. Mungo's or the Leaky Cauldron surrounded by strangers but as soon as it's someone you know, you can't take it anymore. I understand, I understand who I was, what I did, and I understand that you're ashamed for your friends to know we're together but-"

Hermione threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, and continued to even though he attempted to continue with his speech.

"I was going to ask you if you had any ideas as to how we should tell them," she told him. "I am not ashamed of you, I'm proud of you for who you are now and what you're trying to do. I want them to know Malfoy, I was just hoping you knew a good way how."

Draco looked stunned at her response. "You want to tell them?" he asked dumbly.

"I take it that means you don't have any ideas about how to tell them," she replied. "I suppose right at the beginning would be best, get it out in the open, don't you think?"

When Draco continued to stare at her, Hermione took his silence as acquiescence. "Okay, so we'll tell them as soon as we get there, we should get going, we don't want to be late!"

She dragged the still stunned Draco out her front door and, after locking and double checking the wards, slid her hand in to his. He looked at his long fingers intertwined with her small ones and smiled at her. "Thank you," was all he could manage. Hermione beamed at him in response and they walked to the apparition point and, right before she went to apparate them, Draco kissed her and they disappeared into the night wrapped around each other.

If they had taken a moment to look behind them, they would have seen a shadow pass and make it's way into Hermione's building, looking at them in disgust. Lucius Malfoy would certainly hear about this.


	30. Chapter 30

They landed in front of Pansy's house and continued kissing for several minutes until they were both out of breath.

"Are you sure you want to go in there?" Draco asked, sliding his hands up her back. "I can think of another way we can spend the evening."

"We're going in," Hermione said, pushing his hands off of her. "We're going to tell them, have dinner, spend some time with them, and have a lovely evening."

She adjusted her dress and swatted away Draco's hand when he reached for her. "Behave," she said and knocked on the door.

Pansy appeared a minute later in an emerald green short dress with diamond encrusted straps and mile high stiletto, silver heels.

"Come on in!" Pansy said brightly. "Hermione, I'm so glad you could make it."

Pansy led them through the house onto the back patio where Ron, Blaise, Gina, Harry, and Ginny were all sitting around a table with drinks in their hands. Everyone but Blaise and Gina looked apprehensively at Draco and surprised at Hermione.

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed, setting down her drink and getting up from the table to embrace her friend. "We had no idea you were coming. What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with Draco," Hermione said, deliberately using Draco's first name and linking hands with Draco. "We're together."

There was complete silence as Ginny, Harry, and Ron all looked shellshocked. Pansy, on the other hand, looked thrilled, Gina looked apprehensive, and Blaise just smiled.

"Well I think it's great," Blaise said, breaking the silence and Accioing two butterbeers before rising and handing them to Hermione and Draco. "Gina does too."

Gina raised an eyebrow at her husband, then looked to the rest of her friends who were staring at her. "They seem well matched," she said and Blaise looked pleased with her response.

"It's great!" Ginny said, throwing her arms around Hermione, nearly spilling her butterbeer. She turned to hug Draco but stopped when she saw the look of horror on his face. She burst out laughing. "Don't worry Malfoy, I won't hug you," she said.

"I appreciate that Weasley," he replied.

"Actually, it's Potter," she corrected him. "But I'll take it over, what was it? She-weasel?"

"I can't recall," Draco told her with a half smile.

Hermione looked at Harry and Ron, waiting for them to say something. Ron whispered something to Harry and he nodded.

"Can we talk to you alone?" Harry finally asked.

"Whatever you have to say to her, you can say in front of me," Draco said, putting his arm protectively around Hermione.

Hermione turned so that they were facing one another. "Let me talk to them alone," she requested quietly. "I promise it won't take long."

Draco gritted his teeth but nodded. She kissed him softly and turned back to the group. "Let's talk inside," she said and walked into Pansy's house without looking back.

Harry and Ron both got up from the table and, avoiding glaring looks from their respective wife and girlfriend, walked into the house behind Hermione.

They evidently hadn't gone very far and hadn't put up a silencing charm because not two minutes later Harry and Ron's voices could be heard yelling at Hermione.

"Are you out of your bloody mind?" Ron shouted at Hermione. "Him? Of all people you're dating him?

"Have you forgotten what he was like at Hogwarts?" Harry yelled. "He is a Death Eater, not three years ago he would have murdered you, he probably did murder muggle born witches like you, what is wrong with you?

"Not to mention he's still technically a prisoner," Ron raged. "He's taking advantage of you, he thinks if he shags you, you'll set him free."

"Oh Merlin tell me you weren't stupid enough to shag him," Harry yelled, paling a little. "Hermione you need to end this with him right now."

Draco set down his butterbeer so hard the bottle cracked. He clenched his fists and moved to go into the house but to his dismay, Gina reached out to stop him. "She can take care of herself," Gina told him. "Give it a minute."

"They're screaming at my girlfriend and I'm supposed to just sit here and listen?" He spat.

"Yes," they all answered at once, then laughed.

"She won't appreciate you rushing in," Ginny told him. "Like Gina said, just give it a minute."

Harry and Ron were still shouting and Hermione simply stood there, waiting. When they both paused to take a breath, she spoke.

"Are you quite done?" She asked in a deceptively nice tone. "May I say something?"

"Of course Hermione," Ron said amiably, fooled by her tone. "What would you like to say?"

"Do you think I'm stupid?" She asked, keeping her face calm.

"What? Of course not," Harry replied.

"Do you think I can't make decisions?" She queried.

"Of course you can," Ron began. "But-"

"Do you think that, after surviving a war, I am incapable of taking care of myself?" She continued.

"Of course you can take care of yourself Hermione," Harry answered. "We just-"

Outside, Ginny had begun to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Draco snapped.

"Nothing," Ginny said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "You'd just think that after over ten years of friendship they'd have learned by now."

"Learned what?" Draco asked curiously.

"That they're screwed," Pansy said. "The minute Hermione asks seemingly harmless questions with obvious answers, you're done for."

Fascinated, Draco grabbed another butterbeer and sat down to enjoy what could proven to be an entertaining show.

"Do you trust me?" Hermione asked.

"With our lives Hermione," Harry told her. "But the point is-"

"No," Hermione said cutting him off, her calm facade gone. "The point is you trust me enough to fight Voldemort but you don't trust me to choose who I date?"

"But Hermione," Ron tried to say but Hermione kept going, directing her attention.

"Harry's reaction I expected," she said. "But you Ronald? I expected you of all people to understand given that your girlfriend is a Slytherin, former Death Eater, and you were in my position a little over a year ago."

"It's not the same thing!" Ron cried. "Pansy never had a chance-"

"Neither did Draco!" Hermione shouted back, finally losing her temper. "You don't know anything about him, you don't know what he's been through, not that I should have to stand here and defend my boyfriend or myself to my two best friends. You, Ronald, are a hypocrite. Pansy is one of the best people we know and look at where she came from. And you, Harry Potter, shame on you. We fought a war to end hatred and you're clinging to a childhood animosity."

Hermione stopped to take a breath and Harry and Ron wisely chose not to speak.

"Now, if you're finished, I'd like to go have dinner with our friends," she said, looking at them both expectantly.

No one said anything for several minutes before Ron finally spoke.

"I'll be civil," he said. "If he is to me."

"Thank you Ron," Hermione replied. "Harry?"

"Yeah, if he's nice, I'll be nice," Harry said grudgingly.

"Fantastic," Hermione replied. "He said the same thing about you two. So let's go have a nice dinner."

The three walked out of Pansy's house and back on to the porch.


	31. Chapter 31

Hermione, Harry, and Ron came out to find the rest of the group doing a terrible job of pretending they hadn't been listening the entire time.

"So uh, Quidditch, yeah Ginny?" Blaise said lamely.

"Yes," Ginny said, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down at the table. "Yes, going to be a great year for Quidditch."

"The Cannons are going to win it all," Ron chimed in, oblivious. "They have a real chance this year."

Draco snorted in response and Ron stared at him. "Have something to say about the Cannons?"

"Yes," Draco said, ignoring the warning look Hermione was giving he and Ron. "They can't even compare to Puddlemere."

"Puddlemere?" Harry asked. "You're a fan of Puddlemere?"

"Well they're the best team in England," Draco replied. "So of course?"

"They're Harry's favorite team too," Ginny volunteered. "Even though his wife plays for the Harpies."

"We've always said Harry got hit in the head too many times," Ron said. "You'd have to be to be a Puddlemere fan."

Hermione felt herself relax as the men and Ginny began to argue over Quidditch teams. Ron, Harry, and Draco all tiptoed around one another but managed to keep the conversation civil. Pansy caught Hermione's eye and nodded her head toward the house. Hermione nodded and she and Pansy stepped away from the table, unnoticed. They went into the house and into the kitchen where Pierre was putting the finishing touches on dinner.

"You can take it out in 10 minutes," Pansy told him. "We'll be ready then."

"Oui, mademoiselle," Pierre replied, and, after placing a warming charm on the plates, disappeared into the pantry.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Pansy said. "I'm sorry about Ron."

"You don't have to apologize for him," Hermione told her, shaking her head. "He's responsible for what he does."

"I know," Pansy replied. "But seeing his reaction makes me wonder how all of you reacted when Ron first told you he was dating me."

"Similar," Hermione answered honestly. "But it also didn't take us very long to see that you had changed, that you are a completely different person now than you were when we were in school. It was easy to forgive you, Pansy, and really easy to be your friend."

"Thank you," Pansy said sincerely. "I'll talk to Ron, remind him of how all of you treated me and make it clear that I expect him to do the same."

"You can try," Hermione replied. "But knowing Ron, he won't come around until he's good and ready."

"I can be persuasive," Pansy said with a grin and Hermione laughed in response.

Pierre came back into the room and began to levitate the plates out on to the porch. Hermione and Pansy followed and took their seats as their plates floated down in front of them. The conversation chugged forward but it was full of awkward silences and obvious avoidance of topics like the war, Pansy, and Draco. Blaise did his best however to keep them all entertained by regaling them with stories from the advocates' offices. When they'd finished eating Pierre appeared again and whisked away their plates, replacing them with giant pieces of chocolate cake.

"I can't possibly eat another bite," Pansy said. "I can't believe he made dessert too."

"I can," Ron replied grinning happily as he tucked in to his piece and slid Pansy's plate in front of him.

"Typical," Draco commented with a shake of his head and went to pick up his fork only to find Ron's wand at his throat.

Hermione jumped from her seat and grabbed Ron's arm. "Ronald Weasley, you put down your wand this instant!" she demanded, sounding eerily like Molly Weasley.

"I will as soon as he explains what he means by typical," Ron growled.

"I merely meant that I recall from Hogwarts that you were always the one with a great deal of food in front of you," Draco said. "Nothing more."

"Ron, we make jokes about how much you eat all the time," Ginny pointed out. "Lower your wand."

"Nothing you want to say about me eating so much because my family can't afford to feed us all at home?" Ron sneered, pushing his wand into Draco's throat.

Hermione reached for her own wand but Draco grabbed her arm and stopped her. "No," he said. "I apologize if the comments I made to you when we were 11 still bother you."

"Put away your wand mate," Harry chimed in. "Let it go."

Ron held his wand at Draco's throat for another minute before he leaned back across the table and sat down in his chair.

"We're leaving," Hermione informed them, seething at Ron, and practically hauling Draco out of his chair.

"Can I talk to you a moment?" Draco asked, removing Hermione's death grip from his arm.

"Fine," she snapped and walked toward the end of the porch, near the yard.

Draco came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "I can go," he said. "You should stay, they're your friends and I'm the problem."

"No," Hermione said, turning in his arms and wrapping her own around him. "Ron is the problem, not you. Blaise and Pansy, they're your friends too."

"You're sure you want to leave?" he asked.

Hermione went up on her toes and gave him a kiss. "Yes, I'm sure."

They released one another and Hermione took Draco's hand as they walked back to the table.

"Draco and I are going to call it a night," Hermione told them.

"You're going home with him?" Ron asked, shocked. "Didn't take long at all for you to shag him, did it?"

Hermione stared at Ron stunned and before she could do anything Draco had moved around the table and punched Ron square in the face. He hit him with such force that Ron's chair tipped backwards and he hit his head.

"Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Do not ever speak to my girlfriend that way again," Draco commanded, looming over Ron.

"I'm going to kill you," Ron replied, struggling to get up, reaching for his wand but found it wasn't there. "Where the bloody hell is my wand?"

Harry held it up looking angrily at his friend. "Apologize to Hermione," he said.

"Fuck this," Ron replied and after a few tries, stood, shoved past Draco and stormed into Pansy's house.

Hermione looked at Draco with a combination of shock and anger. "You shouldn't have hit him," she scolded him. "There was no reason for that."

"You're going to yell at me for defending you?" Draco replied incredulously. "You're joking."

"We can talk about this later," Hermione snapped and looked to the rest of the group. "Pansy, thank you for dinner, we'll see all of you later."

She walked past Draco and into Pansy's house.

"Thanks Pans," Draco said, giving her a hug. "Sorry about all of this."

"You're not to blame," Pansy said, returning the hug. "I'll talk to him Draco."

"Goodbye," Draco said to Harry, Ginny, Blaise, and Gina.

"Er, Malfoy, can I talk to you a moment?" Harry asked, after Draco had turned to walk back into the house. Draco turned around and nodded and walked toward the end of the porch where he and Hermione had stood a few minutes before. Harry followed, ignoring the questioning look from his wife. The two men stood side by side, silent for a few minutes.

"I don't like it," Harry said finally. "I don't trust you."

"I understand that," Draco replied.

"But," Harry continued. "I trust Hermione, I love her like a sister, so I'll let go of the past, if you will too."

Harry held out his hand to Draco and after a minute, Draco took it.

"If you hurt her, they will never find your body." Harry told him calmly.

"If I hurt her," Draco answered. "I'll bring myself to your doorstep."

The two men shook hands and walked back to the group. Draco nodded to them and walked into Pansy's house as Harry slid his arm around his wife.

"I'm proud of you," Ginny said, giving him a kiss.

"He's going after an angry Hermione," Harry replied with a chuckle. "I figured he'd need something good to tell her so she'll calm down."

"Let's finish the cake," Pansy said. "Suddenly I feel the need for chocolate."

The remaining five sat down and continued their evening.

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A/N: I never realized how short my chapters are. I think that's why I feel like I have to post several at once. Review, review! And favorite!


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: So, um, the story's M rating comes into play now. Sooo if that's not your jam or you're not old enough to read such things, skip this chapter...

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Draco walked through Pansy's house and found Hermione waiting for him by the front door. He walked up to her and put his arms around her. Without a word, Hermione apparated them to the front of her building. The minute they arrived, she pulled out of his embrace and strode purposefully into the building. With a sigh, Draco followed, wisely keeping quiet until they were in Hermione's flat. Hermione walked into the back bedroom and Draco quickly flooed to the Manor to change. He came back and Hermione was sitting on the couch, two cups of tea in front of her. Draco sat down next to her and took a sip of his before turning to speak to Hermione.

"I won't apologize for what I did," he said. "He insulted you, so I hit him. He's lucky I don't have my wand."

"Violence isn't the answer, Malfoy!" Hermione replied, jumping out of her seat. "You can't hit someone every time you have a problem with them."

"I didn't hit just someone," Draco argued, standing and facing her. "I hit your supposed best friend who was being an asshole. Why are you mad at me for defending you?"

"I'm not mad because you defended me!" Hermione exclaimed. "I'm mad because you punched him and there was no need to."

"Yes, there was!" Draco replied exasperated.

"You don't get it," Hermione shouted equally exasperated.

"No, I don't!" Draco yelled back. "I would punch him over and over if it meant he'd never talk to you that way again. Damn it, Hermione, I care about you!"

"I care about you too, Draco" she shouted back. "You don't have a wand, he could have hurt you!"

"Bugger this," Draco replied. He grabbed Hermione and kissed her.

She kissed him back, matching his anger with her own. His tongue slid into her mouth and she opened for him. He tore his lips from hers and attacked her neck. Her head titled back to give him better access as he ran his lips and his teeth down her neck. She grabbed his head and pulled his face back to hers and fused their mouths together. Draco wrenched the straps and the top of her dress down to her waist, the straps holding her arms at her sides and he broke their kiss only to change the angle so he could delve deeper into her mouth. His hands made quick work of her bra and he tossed it somewhere next to them and filled his hands with her breasts. Hermione moaned at the contact and tried to wriggle free of the dress that was preventing her from touching Draco. She managed to get her arms free and the dress pooled at her feet. The minute her hands were free she practically ripped the jumper and shirt from Draco. She slid her hands over his flat, ripped stomach and felt the muscles contract under her hand. Before Draco could stop her she'd undone his pants and they were at his feet. He stepped out of them and towards her, pulling her against him and they both groaned from the contact of flesh touching flesh.

"Bed?" Draco panted out, pausing to look at her.

"Here," Hermione replied, equally breathless. "Now."

Draco didn't need anything more than that, he pulled Hermione back to him and hitched her up so her legs were wrapped around him. She could feel his cock straining through his boxers and slid her hand down between them. Draco's legs nearly gave out at her touch and he less than gracefully dropped her onto the couch. He covered her body with his, setting his mouth on her breast, sliding so she couldn't touch him. He'd cum too soon if she did he knew and he wanted this to last. Hermione was lost in the feeling of his tongue sliding over her right nipple while his hand toyed with the left. He then switched and Hermione arched up against him.

"Malfoy," she groaned. "Now."

"Draco," he said, releasing her breast from his mouth. "Not yet."

He placed kisses down her abdomen, his hands following the trail left by his mouth. When he reached the last barrier, he stopped and slid a finger across her underwear covered pussy and Hermione groaned. He slid her underwear from her body and tossed it behind him. He moved between her legs and kissed a trail from her knee to the inside of her thigh then switched and did the same on the other side. Hermione felt like she was suffocating. The air was so heavy and there was nothing in the world but she and Draco. Draco slid one finger inside of her and she nearly fell apart. Watching her, Draco removed his finger and Hermione whimpered at the loss. He lowered his mouth and slid his tongue up her slit and Hermione groaned louder than before. He slid his finger back in her and slowly began to pump it in and out of her. He slowly slid his tongue against her clit as he did it and Hermione moaned. He slid a second finger inside her, feeling her stretch to accommodate his fingers. He could barely wait to slide his cock into her. Hermione's moans were growing louder and he could tell she was close so he removed his fingers and latched his mouth onto her pussy. He sucked her clit, running his tongue on it over and over then sliding into her pussy when she erupted. He could feel her pussy tighten around his tongue but he didn't stop. He continued to suck on her clit, absorbing her orgasm and it ran through her. He quickly lifted his head to look at her. She was trapped in ecstasy and she'd never been more beautiful, he thought. And she was his.

He slid up her body, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake. Then, without warning, Hermione flipped them. She slid her hands over his smooth skin and ran kisses over his body. She slid off his boxers and, without hesitation, wrapped one hand around his cock. placed his cock at her entrance. Their eyes locked and Hermione reached between them and slid her hands around his cock. Draco groaned as the pressure began to build as Hermione pumped her hand up and down his shaft, alternating slow, nearly painful movements with quick ones that threatened to send him over the edge. He could feel himself nearing his finish so he grabbed her hand and flipped them, rolling them from the couch onto the ground. Draco smothered her with a kiss and he placed himself at her entrance. Hermione slid her hand between them and, using wandless magic, quickly said a contraceptive spell. Draco then linked his hands with hers and, staring into her eyes, he slid into her. Draco gasped and Hermione groaned as they joined. Her pussy seemed to clamp down on his cock the minute he was fully inside and he groaned. He began to slide in and out of her, increasing his speed, the closer he came. Hermione met him thrust for thrust and they were both sheened with sweat. Draco could feel his orgasm coming but he wanted Hermione to go over the edge with him so he slid his hand between them and began to rub his finger directly on her clit as he slid in and out of her, faster and faster until he felt Hermione scream and contract around him. Her orgasm triggered his own and he emptied himself into her and collapsed on top of her.

They both lay there for what felt like hours, trying to steady their hearts and waiting for their breathing to return to normal. Draco was pleased to find himself cushioned between her breasts but didn't have the energy to take advantage of it. Hermione dragged a hand up and down his back.

"I'll get off you in a minute," he said. "As soon as I can feel my legs again."

"You don't have to move," Hermione replied smiling, continuing to rub Draco's naked back. "I don't feel like going anywhere ever again."

Draco managed to untangle himself from her and roll off of her. He lay sideways next to her on the floor, propped up on one arm. Hermione lay flat on her back. His eyes slid over her naked form, watching her chest move up and down as she sucked in air. Hermione turned her head so she could look at him and she smiled. They stayed there for a few minutes, completely wrapped up in each other. Draco got himself to his knees and, without warning, picked her up in his arms. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head against his chest. He stood, shifting her so he wouldn't drop her.

"You better not fall asleep," he said. "I'm not done with you yet."

Hermione began to kiss his neck and Draco turned his head so his lips met hers. "Good," she replied. "Neither am I."

Draco stepped over their clothes and made his way down the hallway into her bedroom. He unceremoniously tossed her on the bed and before she could move or complain about his lack of finesse, climbed on top of her, pinning her to the mattress and slid his cock against her pussy.

"Round 2?" he asked, his lips a millimeter away from hers. She kissed him in response and it all began again.

The next morning Hermione awoke to find she was being nearly suffocated by Draco. While they were sleeping he managed to pull her so they were facing each other and her face was buried in his chest. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, preventing her from moving at all. Hermione tried to free herself from his grasp but his arms tightened around her, pulling her even closer. She'd have to wake him up, she decided.

"Malfoy," she whispered. But no response.

"Malfoy," she said, louder this time. Nothing.

"Draco!" she tried again. His arms loosened slightly but he didn't wake up.

Frustrated, Hermione tried to wriggle out of his hold but was unsuccessful. Then she got an idea.

She slid her hands between them. At least part of him was awake, she mused. She looked at Draco's sleeping face and began to pump her hand up and down his cock. After a few minutes, Draco moaned and rolled so he was flat on his back, his arms at his sides. Free Hermione decided to finish what she'd started and she moved down his body. She slid her hand up and down his shaft a couple more times before she took him in her mouth and began to suck.

Draco was having the most extraordinary dream. Hermione's small hands wrapped around his cock, slowly pumping him into oblivion. Then he felt her warm mouth close over him and his eyes shot open. He looked down to see Hermione's head bobbing up and down. Not a dream, at all, he realized, as another groan left his body. This was very much real and he was close to cumming. Hermione seemed to sense that he was close because she increased the pressure with her hands and her mouth and before Draco could warn her, he came violently, the orgasm wracking through his body. He lay there for a minute, unable to move, as Hermione curled herself next to him.

"Good morning," he managed, as his breathing returned to normal.

"Good morning," Hermione said with a grin.

Draco turned his head to look at her and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to his side.

"I could get used to waking up like that," Draco told her, planting a kiss on top of her head.

"I had no choice," Hermione replied, shifting so she could see his face. "It was the only way I could free myself from your death grip."

"My death grip?" Draco asked.

"I tried to get up and you wouldn't let me go," Hermione told him. "So I had no choice but to make you let go of me."

Suddenly, Draco pulled her on top of him and viced his arms around her. "I don't want to let you go," he said, with more feeling than he intended.

Hermione laid her lips on top of his in a featherlight kiss. "You don't have to."

Hermione slid back to his left side and put her head on his shoulder. Draco kept his arms around her and they lay that way, quietly thinking, both concerned about how important the other had become in such a short amount of time.

"I'm sorry about last night," Draco said, breaking the silence. "But I'm not sorry I hit him."

Hermione sighed at his words. "Thank you for defending me," she said after a minute. "But next time, try to do it without punching my best friend."

"I'll try," Draco conceded. "But if he says anything like that again, I'll have no choice."

They fell back into silence but it was broken again a moment later by a growl from Draco's stomach. Hermione smiled and rubbed her hand over his stomach.

"I'll make breakfast," Hermione said, pulling out of Draco's arms and wrapping herself in the sheet.

Draco watched her and she walked over to her dresser and pulled out a long tshirt. She slipped it over her head and let the sheet drop. She also grabbed a pair of underwear and shorts. She then opened a different drawer and tossed Draco a pair of shorts and a tshirt.

"Should I be concerned that you have a drawer of muggle men's clothing?" he asked from the bed.

"Harry and Ron have spent the night here several times," she told him, turning and seeing he'd propped himself up against the headboard, looking annoyed.

"Why?" he demanded to know, hating that he was jealous.

"Because," Hermione said, walking back to the bed. "Sometimes they ask stupid questions and piss off their girlfriends/wives who kick them out and then they come here."

"Ah," Draco replied, realizing he may end up on a couch if he continued the conversation further.

Hermione gave him a quick kiss and walked out of the room, calling over her shoulder, "get dressed, I'll eat without you!"

With a laugh, Draco tugged on the muggle clothes, surprised to find they actually fit him quite well. He stood in her room, taking a moment for himself. He listened as Hermione sang along to music and couldn't help the happiness that welled up in his chest. How drastically his life had changed over the last few months, he thought. He couldn't remember the last time he was so happy.

"Food!" Hermione called from the kitchen. "I'm eating without you!"

Knowing she was serious, Draco quickly strode out of the room to eat breakfast with his girlfriend.

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A/N: Okay, I have NEVER written smut, which I guess makes sense since there's not a lot of cause for writing that so I hope it was okay? Writing it made me SUPER uncomfortable so I hope that means I did a good job with it.


	33. Chapter 33

The weeks passed and Draco and Hermione found themselves spending more and more time together. During the day they would sit what had become "their" office reading through research or in the Malfoy library or the Archives, searching for more information about the origins and the creation of the Cruciatus curse while the interns worked diligently researching the drowning and burning curses. They talked to the patients together and brewed their potions together as well. When they weren't at St. Mungo's they spent their nights at Hermione's flat, tangled together in her bed. On the weekends sometimes they'd spend time with their friends, Draco still finding it weird to call the Weasleys and Potters friends, but they got on well enough whenever they all got together to play Quidditch. As hard as he tried, Draco could never talk Hermione onto a broom. She was content to play with James while his parents flew around, shouting and jeering like children. The shadow still watched them though, growing angrier and more impatient. It was only a matter of time before it materialized and struck.

The morning it decided to make its first move, Hermione and Draco were at St. Mungo's, had been sitting and reading for nearly two hours when Hermione broke the silence.

"What did it feel like? Hermione asked.

"What did what feel like?" Draco replied, annoyed.

"Using the Cruciatus curse," she answered, looking pensive. "What did it feel like using the curse?"

"Why do you want to know?" Draco asked her, growing more agitated by the second. "Care to relive what it's like through your Death Eater boyfriend?"

"Oh stop that," she admonished. "Just tell me, for our research's sake, what did it feel like?"

Draco raised an eyebrow at her calling it "their" research. "I don't want you to know what it's like to ever use any of the Unforgivables," he told her.

"Draco please," she pleaded. "It's important."

"No," Draco said, shortly and went back to the book he was reading.

Frustrated, Hermione got up from her chair, causing Draco to look up from the book. She slid into his lap, sitting with her right shoulder against his chest. He brought his arms around her to hold her in place, puzzled as to what she was doing.

"Please tell me," she whispered, her breath tickling his ear, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Granger, no," he replied, half heartedly pushing her out of his lap. "I'm not telling you."

"Please?" she whispered, curling into his chest, sliding her arms around his waist. "It's important."

With a sign Draco dropped his head on top of hers and re-tightened his arms around her. "Tell me why it's important and, IF it's a good reason, I'll tell you what it felt like," he said.

"I think the after effects have to do with the castor of the spell," she told him. "I noticed the patients tortured by Voldemort himself or by Bellatrix seem to have more severe symptoms than those tortured by other Death Eaters."

"When did you notice that?" Draco wanted to know, hurt she hadn't shared the observation with him sooner.

"It was something you said when you were telling me about your 'victims,'" Hermione told him. "You said your Cruciatus was weak, an embarrassment, maybe it's because you didn't really mean it. Maybe for an unforgivable to truly work, you have to mean it."

"I killed them all though," Draco replied quietly, his arms involuntarily holding her closer to him.

"You meant to put them out of their misery," Hermione said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "You meant it at the time."

"It feels like the magic is being ripped out of you," Draco told her in the same quiet tone. "Like a part of you goes with it."

Hermione kept out of his lap, nearly taking him with her. She looked at him excitedly. "That's it!" She exclaimed. "That's what I thought."

"I don't follow," Draco said, staring at her as she beamed back at him.

"I think a piece of the castor, part of their magic, is left behind when they use the Cruciatus," she told him.

"Tons of people were tortured during the war Granger," Draco replied. "I hate to tell you but the majority ended up fine."

"But the ones who were cursed by the worst of the Death Eaters, the ones who were truly evil and for multiple times or a longer period of time," Hermione explained. "They're the ones who still experience the after effects of the curse."

"You may be on to something," he admitted. "But you yourself are a point against your own theory. You were tortured by Bellatrix and more than once but you weren't tortured for an extended period of time."

Hermione furrowed her brow at that. "You're right," she admitted grudgingly. "But I'm the outlier, what if I'm right about the others?"

"Then to cure them you have to find a way to extract the dark magic from them," Draco replied. "Without hurting them or causing them to lose their own magic."

"There has to be a way," Hermione said determined. "Let's go back to the Archives, now that we know what we're looking for, we have so much to do!"

She turned to run out of the room but Draco grabbed her arm and tugged her back into his lap. "It's nearly 11pm," he told her. "We should go to bed, you can start dragging us through the achieves tomorrow."

Hermione looked like she was going to disagree with him so Draco kissed her into submission.

"Please? We've spent enough time here today," Draco requested.

"Go ahead without me," Hermione told him. "I'll meet you there in a half hour, I just want to run up and check on the patients one last time."

"A half hour," Draco conceded, giving her another kiss. "See you later."

Hermione watched as Draco left the room. She sat for a few minutes and just smiled. He'd changed so much, she thought. There was so much good in him that no one had ever seen. Still smiling, she rose from the chair and made her way to the wing to check on her patients. Everyone was asleep so she slipped out and made her way to the main floor. She walked out into the main reception area to see a number of wizards, including Erin, in front of the floo.

"What's going on?" she asked, walking up to her friend.

"Floo network is being wonky," Erin replied. "They're trying to fix it now but your best bet is probably just to apparate."

"Okay, thanks!" Hermione replied. "See you later!"

Hermione walked out the front door of St. Mungo's and found herself in muggle London. Knowing there was an empty alley behind the building that all the wizards used to apparate she quickly made her way around the building. She was about to apparate when she heard a sound behind her. She went to pull out her wand but her attacker was ready. " _Stupefy_ ," the voice whispered and the last thing Hermione saw was a shadow before everything faded to black.

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A/N: What the what!? Someone has Hermioneeeeeee! :O


	34. Chapter 34

Draco woke the next morning, momentarily confused by his surroundings. He sat up and, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, realized he'd fallen asleep on Hermione's couch, waiting for her to come home. She'd probably gone straight to bed, he thought, and with mischief on his mind, snuck quietly down the hall, leaving a trail of his clothing as he went. In just his boxers, he quietly opened her door and stuck his head in, expecting to see his girlfriend fast asleep. Instead, he saw her perfectly made bed without her in it. She must have fallen asleep at the lab, he thought with a shake of his head. He quickly put his clothes back on and flooed to the Manor. There he showered, got dressed, and had breakfast with his mother. He then flooed to St. Mungo's from the Manor. He made his way to Hermione's lab and looked in her office. She wasn't there. He then went down the hall into their office. She wasn't there either. Starting to worry, Draco searched the entire lab but didn't find Hermione anywhere. Patients, he thought. She probably spent the night with a patient and forgot to tell him. He went up to the patient wing and asked the witch at the front desk which room Hermione was in. He immediately became concerned when she told him Healer Granger had stopped by the night before but left only a few minutes later. Draco went back to the main floor and found Erin speaking with another healer. When she saw him, she stepped away from the conversation and walked over to him.

"Have you seen Granger today?" he asked.

"No," Erin replied. "When I saw her last night, she was on her way home."

"She never came home," Draco told her, growing increasingly more concerned by the minute. "Did she floo home?"

"No," Erin answered. "Someone damaged the floo connection and they were still repairing it when she left. She went out the main entrance, she was going to apparate back to her flat. What do you mean she never came home?"

"I was waiting for her at her flat," Draco said, now starting to panic. "She never came back to her flat, I've looked everywhere for her. She's nowhere."

"I'll call Harry," Erin told him. "Ron too. See if she ended up with either of them. Wait here."

Erin strode away and Draco began to pace back and forth, berating himself for falling asleep before she'd returned. Erin returned 20 minutes later with a grim look on her face.

"Neither of them have seen her," Erin told him. "Nor have Ginny, Blaise, Pansy, or Gina. They tried her muggle mobile but she never has it with her. Harry is working on putting together an auror team and finding an auror to replace Ron so Ron can work with them too."

"She's missing," Draco said in a dull voice. "I need to talk to them. Potter, Weasley, right away."

"They're at the Auror's office," Erin told him. "Use the last fireplace on the right, it's connected directly to the Ministry. I'll let them know you're on your way."

They separated, Erin hurrying toward her office floo to warn Harry and Ron and Draco toward the floo. He stepped through and within a minute was in the Ministry. He ignored the stares and the pointing fingers and made his way to the lifts. He called for the Auror offices and a minute later, the lift doors opened and he found himself face to face with Harry and Ron.

"Where the hell is she Malfoy?" Ron demanded. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"She's my bloody girlfriend you great git," Draco retorted. "I'm here to help."

"Malfoy, I can't actually allow you to help," Harry said.

"Because I'm a bloody criminal?" Draco spat. "Bugger that and to hell with you."

"Because you're a civilian," Harry replied calmly. "Civilians aren't allowed to help with Auror cases, especially when it involves someone they're...close to."

"You can't leave me out of this," Draco said, deflating as the anger left as quickly as it had came. "She's the best thing that's ever happened to me. What if it were...Ginny?" he asked, choking out her name, then looking to Ron. "What if it was Pansy?"

Harry studied Draco for a minute then sighed. "Fine, you can stay," Harry said over Ron's protests. "But you cannot DO anything. We'll keep you informed as best as we can."

"Harry are you mental?" Ron shouted. "You can't do this."

"Ron, don't make me pull rank," Harry said quietly. "He's right. If it were Ginny or Pansy we'd be tearing through anyone and everyone just to help in any way. Malfoy stays."

Ron gaped at Harry for a minute then turned and stormed away. Harry sighed.

"Come on Malfoy," he said. "We're all in the main room."

The two men walked side by side until they reached the door when Draco stopped Harry.

"Someone tried to kill my mother," Draco told him.

"What?" Harry exclaimed. "When? Why didn't you say something?"

"We were going to tell you," Draco said. "Granger and I, but I asked her to wait and after you caught Rabastan we assumed it was him and forgot all about it."

"Regardless," Harry said sternly. "You should have told me, even if it wasn't me, someone in the Auror office."

"I know, I know," Draco told him. "Don't you think I wish I had now? Rabastan isn't smart enough to work alone. He must have been working with someone and whoever that is, is probably who has Granger. This is my fault."

Harry looked at the distraught man next to him and did something he never thought he'd do. He put his hand on Draco's shoulder. "I never thought I'd say this but this isn't your fault, Malfoy," Harry told him. "It's the fault of whoever decided to kidnap Hermione."

"But she's dating me," Draco replied. "My mother was poisoned, my girlfriend is missing, probably kidnapped by some lunatic who wants to get back at me or my family for something during the war. Fuck this, it's my fault."

"Malfoy, if it was your fault, I would happily tell you," Harry said, squeezing Draco's shoulder. "But it's not. Now, if you're done feeling sorry for yourself, you're going to help us find the prick who kidnapped Hermione."

Draco shook off his mood and now, looked determined at Harry. "I'll tell you anything you need to know."

"Good," Harry replied. "Let's get to work."

The two men walked into the room full of Aurors, ready to find the only person who could ever unite them.

* * *

A/N: I REALLY wanted these two to find some kind of common ground and, unfortunately, this was the only way I could think of to make it happen.

Also, I need to say, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who follows the story, reads the story, favorited the story and reviewed the story. It makes me so happy that my story has been so well received by all of you! I really appreciate you taking the time to read and share your thoughts with me :)


	35. Chapter 35

Hermione woke with a start. She couldn't see and for a moment, she panicked but then realized there was some kind of hood over her head. Her arms were bound behind her back and her legs were bound at her ankles and her knees. She was sitting on a hard, cement floor, and she could feel a stone wall against her back. She was in a basement or a dungeon she surmised. But where? And who had taken her? She tried to remember what she'd seen right before she'd been stunned but all she could think of was a large shadow. Nothing hurt, Hermione realized. Other than where the ropes had bound her. So whoever it wasn't hadn't intended to hurt her when they took her. But why had she been kidnapped? In conclusion, she thought, she had no idea where she was, who had taken her, and why she was there. She didn't even know how long she'd been out. Draco would look for her, that she was certain of, and hopefully employ the help of the rest of her friends as well. They would find her, she thought confidently. Until then, she'd try to find a way out.

She tried to slide up the wall to stand but almost instantly felt the ropes pull against her skin. So she was tied up and tied to the wall, as well as the floor. Great. She concentrated and tried to untie the ropes with wandless magic but they didn't budge. She was tired, hungry, and not feeling her best, she acknowledged, and wandless magic required all of the above. Hermione tried to see through the hood, then tilted her head down and tried to shake it off but it stayed firmly in place. Whoever had her either knew the extent of her abilities, even if she was a little rusty, or had done this before, she realized. They'd taken every precaution to ensure she couldn't move, let alone escape. Frustrated, Hermione sat, waiting to see what happened next.

Meanwhile, the awkward tension in the Auror main room hadn't quite passed and Harry was reaching the limit of his patience.

"Can we get rid of him?" Seamus whispered, less than subtly nodding in Draco's direction.

Harry slammed down the folder he was holding, bringing all the activity in the room to a silent halt.

"If one more person questions my judgement regarding Draco Malfoy's presence in this room I will personally throw you out and ensure you have desk duty for the next six months," Harry announced authoritatively. "Does anyone else have anything they would like to say?"

His question was met with silence.

"Excellent," he said. "Now if we could focus on finding Hermione Granger perhaps we could find her before whoever has her harms her. I certainly would hate to go to Minister Shacklebolt and tell him he has aurors who allow their personal feelings to come before their job."

Once Harry finished speaking, everyone went back to work, now choosing to simply pretend Draco wasn't there at all rather than talking to him.

"Thank you," Draco said to Harry.

"I still don't like you," Harry replied with a half grin.

Malfoy returned his grin. "I still don't like you either."

"So what were you saying?" Harry asked.

"Rabastan Lestrange listens to three people," Draco told him. "Rodolphus, who is dead, Bellatrix, who is also dead, and my father."

"Who is in Azkaban," Harry finished for him.

"But alive," Draco pointed out. "I think you need to consider the possibility that he somehow is in contact with him."

"That's not possible," Harry argued. "We monitor every letter that comes in and out of Azkaban, every guest, everything. If someone, especially a known Death Eater, were communicating with your father, we'd know."

"The only person who Lucius Malfoy corresponds with is Narcissa Malfoy," Ron said coming over, pointedly speaking directly to Harry.

"That's not right," Draco said. "My mother doesn't speak to my father. She hasn't since the final battle."

"Twice a week, every week for the last 3 years, according to our log," Ron said smugly. "I guess you don't know everything ferret."

"Enough," Harry said, staring at Ron. "Don't make me throw you out."

"Fine," Ron replied angrily. "But he's still wrong. It clearly says right here letters from Narcissa Malfoy, they're sending over copies right now."

"I need to talk to my mother," Draco said, moving to leave the room but Harry stopped him.

"I can't let you do that," he told Draco.

"Why the bloody hell not?" Draco asked.

"Because your mother is now a person of interest," Harry replied. "She has to be brought in for questioning."

"You can't do that to her," Draco answered. "She's...unwell."

"I know," Harry told him, continuing when he saw Draco's look of surprise. "Hermione told me in case something ever happened. I'll be the one to question her, no one else. I even have a couple vials of her potion if something happens. You know Hermione, she thinks of everything."

"I want to be in the room," Draco demanded.

"I can't allow that either," Harry replied but held up his hand for Draco to stop when he went to speak. "However her advocate would be allowed to be present."

"Her advocate?" Draco questioned. "Who is her…"

Harry gave him a knowing look. "If she brings an advocate, I have to allow it."

Then it hit Draco what Harry was saying. "If you'll excuse me, I believe I have a call to make," Draco said.

"There's a fireplace at the end of the hall," Harry informed him. "You can floo call anyone you need to from there."

Draco hurried out of the room and, after a few minutes, returned.

"I need to go get your mother now," Harry told Draco. "I assume she's at Malfoy Manor?"

"Yes," Draco replied calmly. "She'll most likely be in the living room. She takes her tea now."

Harry nodded to Draco and turned to address his team.

"Continue with your individual assignments," Harry said to them. "Ron and I are going to pick up a potential suspect. Should you need me I have my coin."

Harry turned back to Draco and handed him a galleon.

"What's this for?" Draco asked, turning it over.

"Tap it if you need us," Harry said. "They work better with wands but just you should be enough to make it work."

"Another invention of Hermione's?" Draco questioned.

"Yes," Harry replied. "She's brilliant. Can't figure what she's doing with you."

Draco looked up and almost let something slip but then he realized Harry had said it with almost a joking tone. Draco half laughed and answered, "Yeah, neither can I."

Ron shot Draco a glare before walking out of the room. Harry moved to follow him but stopped and turned and spoke to the group again. "If anyone does anything to Malfoy while I'm gone, I'll know." he said. "And I'll kick you off this team the minute I get back."

At that, Harry walked out of the room, leaving Draco alone in a room full of people who hated him.

"Bugger it," Draco said to himself and dropped into a seat at the front of the room. He grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and began to list everyone he could think of who would want to hurt him, his mother, or Hermione. He was going to need more parchment, he realized. A lot more.

* * *

A/N: Review, favorite, follow, thaaaaaaanks! :)


	36. Chapter 36

Hermione must have fallen asleep because she was jolted awake by the sound of a door opening. It sounded heavy, she thought. It also sounded like the person opening it had to use a lot of energy to open it as she listened to them expel their breath.

"Wh-wh-why am I here?" she asked, attempting to sound scared.

The person didn't answer but she could hear them moving around the room. Then the hood flew off her head and she blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room. She didn't even look at the person as she quickly assessed the room. One door, she noted, about 5 feet away on her right. The entire room was probably 8 feet by 8 feet, not large at all. She'd been right about the concrete floor and stone walls. There were no windows and the only thing in the room was a flat mattress pad directly to her left. She now looked at her captor and was met with a Death Eater mask.

The episode came so quickly, she barely had time to react. Her body became to shake, more and more violently as time went on and her captor just watched her. She tried to tuck her head between her knees to keep it from hitting the stone behind her. Without the potion, the episode could last for hours and she was certain her captor didn't have any. So she sat there, trying to control her breathing and the shaking, as memories of the war flashed through her mind. She remembered vividly Bellatrix using the Cruciatus on her, over and over, as she carved Mudblood into Hermione's arm. The word on her left arm began to hurt and she cried out, unable to contain the sound any longer, the pain radiating through her body. Still, her captor did nothing but stare, she could feel the eyes on her. Minutes, hours, some amount of time later, the episode began to subside. The shaking stopped, followed by the pain, and Hermione began to draw normal breaths. She lifted her head from her lap and stared at her captor.

"What do you want?" she asked wearily. "What do you want from me?"

"Not you," the voice hissed.

They were trying to disguise their voice, she realized. By saying as little as possible and hissing a response.

"Then what do you want?" Hermione asked again. "Why did you kidnap me? What are you going to do with me?"

"Soon," was the response she received in the same voice.

It had to be someone she knew, she thought. Otherwise there would be no reason to disguise the voice. Or they didn't want her to recognize them if she somehow managed to escape.

"Show me your face," she demanded, no longer concerned with feigning fright. "Or are you too much of a coward?"

The wand was at her throat before she even finished her last word. 9 ¾, she guessed, staring at the wand, a look of fear on her face. Yew.

"I could kill you with a flick of my wrist," the captor said, the voice losing some of it's hiss now that there was anger there. "You would never see it coming."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Hermione whimpered, hiding a satisfied smile. "I didn't mean it."

The captor put away their wand and withdrew into their robes. "You'd be wise to keep quiet," the captor hissed. "You don't want to make me angry."

"No, no I don't," Hermione said passively. "Just tell me why I'm here though."

"Leverage," it said, the glee evident in the tone now, again causing the hiss to fade. "Payback."

At that, the captor flicked his wand and swept out of the room and pulled the door shut behind them.

In their haste, they'd forgotten to put the hood back on and Hermione planned to take full advantage of it. 9 ¾ Yew. She knew she'd seen that wand before but she couldn't place where. She worked in a hospital full of wands, she's survived a war and see so many different wands in the hands of so many different people she could hardly keep track. But she'd seen that wand before, that she was sure of. So she knew her captor. As her eyes scanned the room looking for weaknesses in the walls, she began to make a mental list of anyone who could have kidnapped her. There were a number, she realized, those who had been on the side of the Light during the war and those who had not. She hoped the person would come back in so she could try to draw out who they were. The longer Hermione looked around the room though, the more discouraged she became. There was nothing. No indication of a way out or where she was. The mattress pad next to her was standard during the war but you could find them anywhere since then. The only chance she had was to rest, to store up as much energy as she could, and hope that she could use wandless magic to rid herself from the ropes. Then all she'd have to do was wait, attack her captor when he or she came back in, and render them unconscious. No problem, she thought with a roll of her eyes. Deciding there was nothing else she could do, Hermione leaned left and, finding that the rope gave, she laid down on the mattress pad and tried to sleep. Her body shaking lightly every once in a while as the aftershocks of the episode ran through her. Her thoughts drifted to Draco and, with him on her mind, she was finally able to fall asleep.

Draco on the other hand hadn't slept at all and was currently pacing outside of the room where Harry was questioning his mother. They'd only been in there about 10 minutes, and he knew Blaise would care for his mother, but he was still anxious. He'd just assumed his mother wasn't in contact with his father, but she'd never told him that directly. What if she had? But even so, she couldn't have anything to do with Hermione's disappearance, Hermione helped her. Frustrated that he couldn't figure out the answer, Draco continued to pace.

Inside the room, Narcissa repeated the same answer for the four or fifth time.

"I don't speak to my husband," she said, nearly shouting at Harry. "I don't understand why you don't believe me."

"Mrs. Malfoy, copies of the letters will appear in this room any minute now," Harry told her calmly. "It's better if you just tell me what you've said to him rather than having me sit through and read them all."

"There is nothing to read," Narcissa insisted. "Because I haven't written or spoken to my husband in years."

Just then a box materialized on the desk to Harry's right. Without a word, he stood, opened the box, and quickly scanned the first four letters. He then placed them, one by one, in front of Narcissa. Blaise leaned forward to get a better look.

"Mrs. Malfoy," Harry tried again. "Why did you lie to me?"

Narcissa leaned forward and stared at the letters. She then looked to Blaise questioningly. He whispered in her ear, too quiet for Harry to hear and she then whispered back.

"Narcissa didn't write these letters," Blaise told Harry.

"You cannot possibly be serious!" Harry exclaimed. "I'm looking right at them, they're signed Narcissa Malfoy, explain to me please how it is you expect me to believe you didn't write these letters?"

Blaise pulled a piece of parchment and a quill from his bag and handed them to Narcissa. Harry looked on confused but Narcissa, understanding what Blaise wanted, wrote two sentences, then signed the letter. Blaise took it from her and handed it to Harry.

"What is this for?" Harry asked, annoyed. "How is, 'My name is Narcissa Malfoy nee Black and I write this to you' with your signature at the bottom supposed to change my mind?"

"Look at Narcissa's handwriting and signature compared to the letters you have," Blaise told him.

Harry pulled a letter toward him and spun it so the text was facing him. He then lay Narcissa's note next to the letter.

"They're different," Harry realized. "The writing is at least similar but the signature is completely wrong."

"Now do you believe me?" Narcissa asked.

"How do I know you aren't altering your handwriting now so it doesn't look the same as that of the letters?" Harry replied.

Narcissa threw her hands in the air, exasperated. "I'm certain I have old letters or journals or something with my signature on it to prove to you, Mr. Potter, that I did not write those letters," Narcissa told him. "Blaise, have Jake fetch the journal Hermione gave me."

"Yes m'am," Blaise said, rising from the table. "Not a word to Potter while I'm gone Narcissa."

Blaise stepped out of the room, leaving Narcissa and Harry alone.

"I believe you," Harry told her. "I just have to be thorough."

When Narcissa merely stared at him he sighed and continued. "Do you think your husband is aware the letters aren't from you?"

"I have no idea what my husband is aware of," she replied. "I haven't spoken to him."

"Who would do this?" Harry asked. "Who would pretend to be you to communicate with your husband in prison?"

"I have no idea," Narcissa said again. "You would have to ask that person."

They lapsed into silence and the door opened a few minutes later. Harry could see Draco angrily pacing as the door shut behind Blaise.

"Narcissa's journal," Blaise said, handing the journal to Harry. "The contents of which I trust you will not divulge."

"Of course not," Harry replied, taking the journal from Blaise and opening it. He looked at it for several minutes, comparing it both to the note Narcissa had written and the letters.

"Very well, Mrs. Malfoy," Harry told her. "Unless you can think of anything you know that could help, you're free to go."

"Thank you," Narcissa said, rising and Blaise rose with her. She turned to walk out the door but, changing her mind, turned back around and sat down.

"Let me see the letters," she requested.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Harry told her. "Only aurors can see evidence."

"Mr. Potter if I'm meant to have written them there is no one better to read them than I," she replied. "Whoever wrote it clearly knew me, knew my writing, and knew how to imitate it. Perhaps I can give you an idea of who wrote the letters."

Harry pondered her words for a minute then nodded. "Alright," Harry said. "But you cannot tell your son any of what was said in these letters. Everything remains in this room. Blaise I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Like hell," Blaise said. "I'm her advocate, you can't kick me out."

"She's no longer a suspect, she's helping with the investigation," Harry told him. "That means she doesn't need an advocate anymore."

"Blaise," Narcissa said. "Please see to Draco, I'm certain we'll have to pay to replace the carpet if he doesn't stop that pacing."

Blaise looked torn between what he felt was a professional obligation and his longtime fear of disobeying Narcissa Malfoy. Deciding fear would win this round, he rose and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Don't let him trick you into anything," Blaise said, giving Harry a look.

"Go, go" Narcissa replied, waving her hands for him to leave. "If I can handle myself in front of the Dark Lord I can certainly handle myself in front of Mr. Potter."

Harry grinned at her response and Blaise couldn't help but chuckle. "Fine," he answered. "I'm leaving," and he walked out of the room.

Alone again, Harry and Narcissa began to read through the box of letters.

* * *

A/N: Look at everyone working together so nicely! Hermione brings out the best in people even when she isn't there! :)


	37. Chapter 37

"Where is my mother?" Draco demanded to know the minute Blaise walked out of the room.

"Helping Potter," Blaise told him. "She cleared herself as a suspect and now she's helping. Never thought I'd see the day."

"I don't think we ever anticipated I'd fall for Hermione Granger either," Draco pointed out dryly. "Mother helping Potter isn't the weirdest thing that's happened as of late."

"True, true," Blaise said. "How are you holding up?"

"I miss her," Draco murmured. "She hasn't even been gone that long and I miss her. I'm worried for her. I want to kill whoever did this."

"Well as your advocate," Blaise replied. "I'm going to have to advise you NOT to kill anyone. You're almost through with the final phase, I'd really hate to see you blow it now."

"What if something happens to her?" Draco asked, the anguish beginning to reveal itself on his face. "I just got her, I can't lose her."

"If anyone can take care of themselves, it's Hermione Granger," Blaise replied. "I bet she's sitting there right now, trying to find a way out of wherever she is. I've got to go, I'll be back soon."

Draco watched as Blaise walked out of the auror department. There was nothing he could do, he thought. So he went back to pacing.

Trying to figure a way out was exactly what Hermione was doing. She'd woken up hungry but feeling surprisingly well rested. She didn't want to test her magic though, she knew she'd need her strength. She was currently trying to roll on the mattress to see how far she could get the rope to go. As long as she stayed fully on the mattress, the rope would allow her to move. Hermione began to try to scoot the mattress and herself, closer to the door, feeling the rope give as she went. She made it halfway across the room before she heard a sound on the other side of the door. As quickly as she could she scooted back to where the mattress had been and, by the time the door opened, she was sitting on top of it as if nothing had happened. Her captor looked at her (she assumed since she couldn't see their eyes) and moved toward her.

"I'm hungry," she said quietly, allowing her voice to quiver a little.

Her captor stopped and resumed staring in her direction.

"Can I please have something to eat?" she asked, doing her best sad puppy look.

Her captor responded by moving next to her and pulling out a small knife. Hermione tried to fight but he slid the blade down her arm, lightly but enough to draw blood. The captor wore gloves, she noticed. Didn't want to soil their hands with her blood. They covered the gash on her arm with their left hand, allowing it to soak into the handkerchief she now saw was in the hand.

"What's that for?" Hermione wanted to know.

"To let him know we're serious," the captor hissed.

"Him?" Hermione questioned. "Who? Who is we?"

"Draco Malfoy!" the captor shouted, the voice losing most of it's hiss.

A man, Hermione realized. Definitely a man.

"What does Draco have to do with anything?" Hermione asked.

"Do you really think he'd be allowed to do it and not pay the consequences?" he raged, the hiss completely gone.

Recognition hit Hermione like the Hogwarts Express and flitted across her face too obviously for him to miss it.

"You know who I am," he said.

"Why?" Hermione asked. "I don't understand, I thought you were-"

"Silencio," he replied, quieting Hermione with a flick of his wand. "You'll see him again soon enough. Then you'll understand."

Hermione stared at the man, still shocked by who it was.

"Here," he said and Hermione turned her attention to him. "Eat this."

He tossed her an apple and she barely managed to catch it.

"I'll be back soon," he told her and walked out of the room.

Why would he do this? Hermione thought, as she bit into the apple. How could he do this?

Then all of a sudden she was hit with a wave of exhaustion. He'd put a sleeping draught in the apple she realized, and she should have known better. She slid to the matt, unconscious, before she could scold herself further.

"Whoever did this was very good," Narcissa commented, speaking to Harry for the first time in over an hour. They were only halfway through the box of letters to Lucius. "Everything in these letters sounds exactly like a letter a wife would write to her husband."

"But?" Harry asked, sensing she had more to say.

"But it references places, people, items that I've never heard of or seen," she told him.

Harry's interest peaked immediately. "Like what?" he asked, sliding around to her side of the table.

"Like this letter," Narcissa said, pulling one she'd set aside. "The letter goes on and on about the repairs at our summer home in Galway, Ireland."

"So?" Harry asked, annoyed. "Didn't want him repairing it?"

"We don't have a summer home in Galway," Narcissa told him, giving him a look. "Lucius has never even been to Ireland as far as I know."

"It's a code," Harry realized, snatching the letter from Narcissa. "They're discussing a plan or something. What else in the letters doesn't make sense to you?"

"Well this one," Narcissa said pulling another letter from the pile. "This one talks about destroying the Manor, the Manor has been in the Malfoy family for hundreds of years, Lucius would never agree to something like that."

"Wait," Harry said, looking through the letters again. "All of these letters are from 'you' to Lucius. Where are his responses?"

Harry moved quickly back around the table and began sifting through the box. "Here they are!" he said, grabbing a thick stack of letters from the bottom of the box. "I need to take these to my team. They can put them in date order faster than the two of us can together. Then we'll go through them, one by one, and you can tell me exactly what stands out in each letter."

Narcissa rose as well. "Draco should be included, Mr. Potter," she said. "Don't make me remind you that I pronounced you dead before the Dark Lord."

Harry stared at her mouth open for a moment before he grinned. "I can see you were sorted into the right house," Harry replied. "And I mean that with all due respect."

Narcissa gave him a small smile back and followed him out of the room.

Draco nearly jumped on Harry when he came out.

"What the bloody hell is going on Potter?" Draco snapped.

"Draco, language," his mother scolded.

"Come on in Malfoy," Harry replied. "I'll fill you in as soon as I set my team to work."

Harry walked back into the room and stood at the front.

"Anything to report?" he asked.

"Hermione was abducted from the alley behind the muggle building that holds the entrance to St. Mungo's," Seamus reported. "But we could tell where she was taken to. Honestly Harry other than that, we haven't got shit. Apologies m'am," he added, when he saw Narcissa standing behind Harry.

"I have a new lead for you to follow," Harry told them. "Two of you will research everything you can about homes under repair in Galway, Ireland. There's a chance Hermione was taken somewhere near there. If you find anything resembling a lead, Ron, you go with them."

"Three of you, Seamus included, I need this box of letters put in date order as quickly as you can do it. Split the stacks, do whatever you have to do."

"You know there's a spell for that," Ron cut in. "Hermione came up with it fourth year."

"You serious?" Harry asked, looking surprised. "And you remember it?"

"Ordino," Ron said, pulling out his wand and casting the spell over the box. "Tempus."

The papers flew into the air and began to glow.

"Are you sure you did it right?" Draco asked amused.

"Quiet Malfoy," Ron retorted. "Give it a minute."

Sure enough, the papers began to neatly stack themselves and two minutes later, they lay in a perfect pile on the desk. Harry picked up the first few and grinned.

"They're in date order," he said, awed. "Ron, that's fantastic!"

"Don't sound so surprised," Ron said, trying to sound hurt but ending up sounding proud. "Some of the knowledge Hermione drowned us in stuck."

Draco felt a flash of pain in his chest, hearing them talk about her. "Can we stop being proud of Weasley and can someone tell me what's going on?" he snapped.

"These are the letters your mum supposedly wrote to your dad," Harry told him. "She didn't write them though and, while she was reading through them, she noticed things that didn't fit, so now, we're going to go through, letter by letter, and see what we can piece together based on what your mother says doesn't fit."

"They were speaking in code," Draco said. "Using seemingly silly conversation to discuss plans. My father knows something."

"Which is why while your mother goes through the letters with Seamus, you and I are going to Azkaban," Harry replied.

"You and I?" Draco asked. "Are you mad? I'm not going back there."

"Yes, you are," Harry told him. "You want your girlfriend back?"

"Of course I do," he snapped.

"Then you'll do this," Harry said. "For her."

Harry waited for Draco to respond and when he didn't, Harry seemed satisfied that Draco would help him.

"You all know what you need to do," Harry told the group. "I expect everything to be done by the time I get back. Let's go Malfoy."

Harry walked out of the room. Draco kissed his mother, then followed.

* * *

A/N: Oh a visit to Lucius, how fun! Posting this chapter as I attempt to not burn my dinner. AH! Review, favorite, enjoy!


	38. Chapter 38

"Why am I coming with you?" Draco asked as they began to move quickly down the hall. "I haven't seen my father in years."

"You're the only person he'll talk to," Harry replied with a shrug. "He'll never tell me anything but the minute you mentioned being with Hermione, if he doesn't already know, he'll hopefully flip out and tell us something."

"So I'm bait?" Draco said.

"Yes," Harry told him with a grin, stopping in front of the lift. "Yes you are."

The lift doors opened and they nearly plowed straight through Blaise who went to step out of the lift as they went to step in.

"Woah," Blaise said, dropping something and Harry moved to pick it up.

"An apple?" Draco asked, amused. "Since when do you eat fruit?"

"Bugger off," Blaise replied. "Where are you two headed? Together?"

"Azkaban," Harry replied, stepping into the lift as Blaise stepped off.

"What's he done this time?" Blaise asked, exasperated. "Honestly, you have to stop trying to put Draco back in Azkaban."

"I'm not putting him IN Azkaban," Harry told him, as Draco stepped into the lift next to him. "He's going with me to Azkaban."

"Voluntarily?" Blaise asked suspiciously, looking to Draco for confirmation.

"Yes," Draco replied. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have to go."

Blaise stepped out of the way of the doors of the lift and it swept Harry and Draco away to the main floor of the Ministry. From there, they took two flights of stairs down to what appeared to a dock. Draco had been here not four months ago, he realized, when they'd first brought him back to the wizarding world a "changed man." Now he actually was and he was on his way back. Harry voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"The portkey will leave in 30 seconds," Harry told him, holding out a Hufflepuff tie. "Grab hold."

"Nice choice of portkey," Draco said, an eyebrow raised.

"It was a bit last minute," Harry replied with a shrug. "Apparently all Justin had handy was this."

Before Draco could respond he felt the strong tug of the portkey and, a minute later, they landed at the gates of Azkaban. Harry tucked the tie into the pocket of his auror robes and quickly strode toward the gate. Draco followed with much less haste. A chill ran through him. The dementors were long gone, the prison now guarded by trained wizards, but the soul-sucking feeling never truly left. Harry spoke briefly to the guard then gestured for Draco to follow.

"You're going to get-" Harry began but was cut off by a loud rush of water dropping on top of their heads. "Wet." he finished.

Draco sputtered water out of his mouth and tried to clear his eyes. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

"Washes away enchantments," Harry told him. "Come this way, we dry off over here."

They stepped forward into a small room where, a minute later, they found themselves completely dry, as if they'd never been wet.

"Malfoy, some rules," Harry said, stopping at the door to exit the room.

"You Gryffindors and your rules," he grumbled. "What is it?"

"You cannot touch your father," Harry told him. "You must remain on the opposite side of the table at all times."

"Understood," Draco acknowledged. "Anything else?"

"You know how Azkaban works," Harry continued. "We can see into the cells but you can't see out. Don't speak to anyone. Don't even look at them honestly. Just...don't do anything stupid. Hermione would really be pissed if I had to put you back here."

"I'm not an idiot," Draco pointed out. "You lot seem to forget that a lot."

"Are we clear?" Harry asked, ignoring his comment.

"Yeah, yeah, we're clear," Draco replied. "Let's get this over with."

Harry opened the door and they stepped into the main corridor. They walked in silence as Draco did his best not to look around him but he found he couldn't help himself, he knew most of them afterall. They turned right and continued down another corridor. They were nearing the cell that used to be his, he realized, and he glanced at Harry to see if the choice of route had been deliberate but Harry's face showed no sign of recognition. Sure enough, they made a left and Draco found himself stopped in front of his old cell. It was exactly as he remembered. Small, uncomfortable, constricting. He stared at it, trying to remember why he'd ever thought the Dark Lord's views were worth the time here.

"Move," Harry said quietly. "We have a time limit."

Draco nodded and tore his eyes away from the cell and forced himself to turn his back to it. He thought of Hermione, her smile, her hand in his, and suddenly walking away was easy. He caught up to Harry and after another two right turns, they found themselves at a door.

"Your father is on the other side of this door," Harry said, looking at Draco. "Are you ready?"

Draco could almost feel Hermione's hand squeezing his. "Yes," he replied, a determined look on his face. "I'm ready."

Without waiting another second, Harry threw open the door and strolled into the room. Draco took a breath and followed.

"Mr. Malfoy, I can't tell you how great it is to see in you in shackles," Harry said, sitting down at the table across from Lucius. Draco took the empty seat to his left and stared at his father. He'd changed, Draco noticed. Physically at least. He looked thinner, his eyes hollow, his lips curled in a sneer.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company Mr. Potter?" Lucius asked, clasping his fingers together, staring at Draco rather than Harry. "And why have you brought my dear 'reformed' son with you?"

"We thought seeing his father in jail would help reform him," Harry said, nonchalantly. "He hasn't been...adjusting well."

"Fuck you Potter," Draco replied. "I'm following your hug a hufflepuff shit."

Lucius looked pleased by Draco's response. Thank goodness he caught on, Harry thought gratefully.

"Anyway," Harry continued. "You've been writing letters to your wife." Harry watched as a flicker passed over Lucius' face. "Lovely that she still writes to her Death Eater husband."

"A wife should always be loyal," Lucius said tersely. "Narcissa knows that."

"I'm especially interested in the summer home in Galway that you talk about," Harry told him. "Particularly because it doesn't exist."

"Galway?" Lucius said, pretending to think. "Draco is that where our summer home is?"

"No father," Draco replied. "Our summer home is in Bordeaux."

"How forgetful of me!" Lucius said with a small, fake laugh. "I must have mixed up locations. Poor Narcissa must have been so confused! That's hardly a reason though for you to come and question me. Mixing up where my summer home is located isn't a crime, is it Mr. Potter?"

"Enough of this," Harry said calmly. "Narcissa Malfoy has not written to you once since you were incarcerated. The letters you receive were compared to a journal of hers that we obtained, the handwriting is close but not a match. Who have you been corresponding with?"

"Mr. Potter, I assure you I have no idea, what you're talking about!" Lucius replied, feigning surprise though his lip curled in disgust. "I have been sending and receiving letters from my wife!"

It was in that moment that Draco realized he'd been holding on to some sliver of hope that his father wasn't involved with Hermione's abduction but with that response, Draco realized his father was anything but innocent.

"I'm bored," Draco drawled, sounding, to Harry, eerily like the boy from their years at Hogwarts. "My father wrote my mother, my mother wrote my father, this is all very enlightening Potter, I feel better already."

Lucius practically preened with pride. "You can't change a Malfoy," he said to Harry. "We're...resilient."

Just then Harry seemed to feel something in his pocket, he pulled out his coin, squinted at it, then rose from the table. "Excuse me a moment," he said and looked at Draco, then Lucius. "Don't speak to each other."

Harry gave Draco one last look and then walked out of the room. He then went around to the window that was enchanted so that he could hear and see everything. "This is your chance, Malfoy" he said under his breath. "Don't blow this."

Inside the room, Lucius had already begun to whisper to Draco. "Where are they keeping you?" he was asking.

"The Manor," Draco whispered in response, looking around, pretending to make sure no one was listening.

"So you're having trouble adjusting?" Lucius asked with a slow grin. "You were always a slow learner."

Draco fought the urge to flinch at his father's words. "You want me to learn the shit they're teaching me?" he asked, sounding amused. "Why father, has prison changed you too?"

Lucius howled with laughter as his response. "Never," he said, his face suddenly becoming very serious. "That Mudblood always did better than you when you were in school."

At the mention of Hermione, Draco felt his heart squeeze. "Yes," he said, mildly. "You always mentioned that."

"Is that why you've decided to start fucking her?" Lucius asked nastily and Draco was unable to contain his surprise.

"Oh yes, I know," Lucius sneered. "Sticking your cock into the little Mudblood whore?"

His father knew, he thought dully. That's why this had all begun. Because of him. Pushing aside the...guilt? Was this guilt? Pushing whatever it was aside, he tried for his most feral grin. "Haven't you ever heard of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer?"

Lucius looked surprised himself, then suspicious. "You're not fucking the Mudblood?"

Draco could feel his stomach turn every time he heard the word and decided to use that to his advantage. "Father please, I just ate," he said, sounding, he hoped, as ill as he felt. "I've made her fall in love with me, let her think that she's changed me." Draco paused for effect. "I'm going to rip out her heart."

The nasty grin returned to Lucius' face. "I should have known that fool Flint didn't have any idea what he was talking about," he said shaking his head. "As if my son would ever become a blood traitor?"

"Flint?" Draco asked, maintaining a cool composure even though his heart had begun to race. "Marcus Flint? The bloke a few years ahead of me in school?"

Lucius realized he'd allowed the name to slip but nodded in response. "His father's dying request was I keep an eye on the boy," Lucius said. "We have to take care of our own Draco. It's what the Dark Lord would have wanted."

"I thought Flint was dead," Draco replied lazily. "Where is he?"

"Galway," Lucius told him with a toothy grin. "Summer vacation. Had him a friend."

Draco snorted at his father's response. "That git could never make a friend."

"Didn't you notice your Mudblood toy was missing?" Lucius asked. "He should have it by now."

"I never really took care of my toys, did I father?" Draco sneered, thinking fast. "Though I will be angry if he ruins her."

"He'll only kill her if she tries to escape," Lucius said nonchalantly. "We've been planning this since the war ended. Of the Golden Trio, Potter's Mudblood was the easiest to get a hold of so unfortunately your fun will have to end soon."

Draco felt his stomach turn but forced a nasty grin on to his face and he leaned forward. "Since the war ended?" he asked conspiratorily. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm telling you know," Lucius replied dismissively. "We haven't exactly had time to chat. Shut up and listen before Potter gets back."

Draco quieted and stared at his father.

"Just think Draco, how will the wizarding world react when Potter's Mudblood shows up dead on his doorstep?" Lucius said, an evil grin on his face. He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice Draco's momentary flinch at the word dead and his hands flex into fists. "Tortured, maimed, raped, and murdered? No one would feel safe. No one is safe. They'll see. If we could get to her, we can get to anyone. It's time, Draco, we're making our move."

"I can't believe you included Flint but not your own son," Draco said hoping he sounded bitter but he could feel his rage and disgust reaching a breaking point. "Who else?"

"No one," Lucius told him but leaned forward as far as the restraints would allow and looked Draco straight in the eye. Draco stared back at him and saw his father clearly for the first time. He looked deranged, Draco thought. Completely unhinged. His father's words broke his thoughts.

"No one but now we have you and when they see what we've done, what we can do, they will flock to us," Lucius ranted. He was salivating at the thought and Draco nearly vomited but forced himself to be calm and listen. "We will recreate better times, my son. With more power than Voldemort ever had. With you at my side, But Flint my second in command. That's why I'm going to let him kill the Mudblood, he's been loyal. You can help. In due time you'll get me out of here and I'll kill them all. Rid this world of Mudblood filth and blood traitors. Sanctimonia Vincet Semper."

"Purity Will Always Conquer," Draco replied barely controlling his voice. "I remember the words from our family's crest. When will Flint kill her?"

"When my faithful wife receives my next letter," Lucius said, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "But I did tell him he could have his fun with her. I'm sure he'd quite enjoy having his way with her since you haven't. Perhaps cut her up a little bit. That's what Mudblood sluts deserve you know. To be treated like the soiled pieces of-"

Lucius' rant was cut off by Draco leaping across the table and wrapping his hands around his father's neck. Draco's face was fierce as he stared into the eyes of the man who had raised him, the man who had taught him to hate, the man who had been his father. Lucius gasped for air, his face turning purple, but Draco squeezed his hands tighter and tighter. He could feel the years of frustration, abuse, and now hatred pouring out of him as he watched his father's eyes begin to bulge from his head. Harry burst through the door and with a flick of his wand, sent Draco flying backwards out of the room.

"He tried to kill me," Lucius gasped, scratching at his neck. "Attempted murder. Of his own father! Back to Azkaban for him."

"I didn't see a thing," Harry replied without looking behind him to see where Draco had landed. "But I heard plenty. Enjoy the rest of your life here at Azkaban."

Harry turned his back to him and walked out of the room, gesturing for the wizards to take the still gasping Lucius back to his cell.

"Solitary, until I say otherwise," were the last words Lucius heard before the guards swarmed him.

* * *

A/N: I am SO sorry for the coloful language Lucius used but I needed to piss Draco off.

Thank you for all your wonderful reviews, they mean a lot! :)


	39. Chapter 39

In the hallway, Draco sat on the floor with his back against the wall, his hands shaking, and his eyes glued to the floor. Harry walked toward him and stopped directly in front of him. Harry held out his hand. Draco reached and took it and Harry helped Draco to his feet.

"The portkey is set to return us in 5 minutes," Harry told him, watching him carefully. "We need to go."

"You're not going to make me stay here?" Draco said, looking at him in surprise. "I just tried to kill my father."

"Like I said to Lucius, I didn't see anything," Harry replied. "I certainly wasn't watching and listening the entire time."

"You knew he would talk to me," Draco answered bitterly, realizing Harry had set the entire scene. "That's why you brought me along. Look what good it did."

"Malfoy, are you serious?" Harry asked, incredulously. "I never thought I'd see the day where I had to say anything like this but you were a tremendous help. We know who has Hermione, we know who is involved, we know why and we know that the answer to where, is in those letters. We know that because of your conversation with your father."

Draco didn't respond and Harry shook his head. "We need to go," Harry told him. "Come on."

The two men walked quickly to the area where the portkey was waiting. They took hold of the hufflepuff tie and found themselves back at the Ministry a minute later. They walked in silence back to the Auror's office. Ron jumped out of his chair the minute they walked in the door. Draco moved into the room and sat next to his mother. She took his hand in hers and squeezed, wondering what had happened to make her son so upset.

"We know who has Hermione," Harry announced.

Ron's jaw dropped. "What? We just figured it out two minutes ago," he replied. "How do you already knew?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I mean, Lorinda, Hermione's intern got in touch with us when David, the other intern didn't show up to work," Ron told him. "She was worried something had happened to him as well. Rankin and Kramer went over there and found him dead."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Harry wanted to know. "He isn't the one who has Hermione."

"Ah but he is," Ron replied. "Turns out, David has been dead for nearly 6 months. We found him in his bed under a statis charm. We also found a cauldron, mixing supplies, and all the ingredients for making a polyjuice potion. Someone has been impersonating David and we're figuring, that's who has Hermione."

"Marcus Flint has Hermione," Harry said. "And must be who's been impersonating David. Lucius let it slip to Malfoy while they were talking."

The room began to buzz with excitement.

"Well, let's go get the fucker!" Seamus shouted.

"We follow protocol to a T on this," Harry commanded, giving Seamus a stern look. "You know what to do. I also want his face everywhere. Get the Prophet, Witch Weekly, put Seamus on a broomstick and have him shout it for all I care, we find him, we find Hermione."

The aurors jumped to attention, scrambling in different directions, each trying to do what they'd been assigned to do. When they'd all left the room, Harry stood at the front of the room speaking quietly to Ron. Narcissa leaned toward Draco and spoke. "Do you want to talk about what happened with your father?"

Draco stared down at his hands, clenching the one that his mother wasn't holding. "No," he replied tightly. "I don't."

"Perhaps after this settles we could go somewhere," Narcissa said, attempting to lighten the mood. "It's been a while since we've been to Paris. Perhaps Hermione can come with us. A vacation, just the three of us. That could be nice."

"What did you just say?" Draco asked, his head snapping up to look at his mother.

"I said it could be nice," Narcissa answered, a concerned look on her face. "Is it too soon?"

"No, no, before that," Draco said, rising from his chair. "A vacation, a summer vacation."

"Well it's fall, nearly winter dear but certainly," Narcissa began to say.

"That's it," Draco whispered, staring at his mother with wide eyes. He whirled around, the sudden movement causing both Harry and Ron to look at him.

"I know where she is," Draco said loudly. "I know where to find Hermione."

"Where?" Harry asked.

"How would you know?" Ron asked simultaneously.

"Something my father said," Draco replied. "He told me Flint was taking a summer vacation."

"It's October," Ron pointed out. "Clearly your father has lost his mind a bit."

"No, no, listen to me," Draco said. "When we were little, during the summer, I would spend a great deal of time at the Flint Mansion while Flint Sr., my father, and some others would meet. His father's favorite game for us to play was to send us on a "vacation". He'd lock us in a cell in the basement and leave us there for hours. It was a game to him."

"You never told me that," Narcissa said stunned, the attention of the three men turning to her. "Draco, why didn't you tell me?"

"Father said not to tell you," Draco replied with a shrug. "And it really wasn't that bad."

Narcissa looked horrified but Harry cut in before she could say anything else. "So what are you saying?"

"Flint Mansion," Draco told him. "It's probably abandoned right? Marcus Flint was presumed dead, his parents were killed during the war, it's the perfect place to hide."

"In plain sight," Harry murmured.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Ron asked, staring at Draco suspiciously. "How do we know that seeing your father didn't return you to your old ways?"

"You're a bloody idiot," was Draco's reply to Ron. He then looked to Harry. "Are you going to get your whole team or am I going by myself?"

"Ron, get everyone ready," Harry ordered. "I want the a full team, fully geared up, standing in front of me in 15 minutes."

Ron looked like he was going to argue but Harry stopped him. "If he's wrong, I'll kill him myself," Harry said, not looking at Draco. "If he's right, we get Hermione back."

Satisfied that Draco risked harm, Ron left the room quickly, shouting at Auror's the minute he left the room.

"I need to get ready," Harry said to Draco and Narcissa. "You'll wait here."

"Like hell, Potter," Draco snapped. "I'm coming with you."

"I figured you'd say that," Harry replied. "I'm assuming you're coming as well Mrs. Malfoy?"

"She's staying," Draco said sternly.

"Are you speaking for me, Draco?" Narcissa asked sharply.

"Mother," Draco replied, exasperated. "It's not safe."

Narcissa merely gave Draco a look.

"So everyone is going," Harry cut in, breaking the tension. "You'll need to get suited up. This way."

Harry led the Malfoys from the room and down the hall. There were two large black bags sitting in front of two smaller doors.

"Right side is yours, Mrs. Malfoy, left side is yours, Malfoy," Harry said. "15 minutes."

Harry left the two Malfoys and went to change into his own clothing.

"We could never do normal mother-son bonding, could we?" Narcissa asked with a smile.

"Mother, did you just make a joke?" Draco replied with a laugh.

"Certainly not," Narcissa told him. "I was being perfectly serious."

With a laugh and a shake of his head, Draco grabbed the black bag and headed into the room on the left and Narcissa did the same on the right.

Draco just hoped they weren't too late.

* * *

A/N: Rescue tiiiiiiime!

Also, these will probably be the only chapters I can post today, I'm sorry! If I have a break at all, I'll try to put up another.


	40. Chapter 40

Hermione's breath rushed out of her as she tried her wandless magic again. So far all she'd been able to do was move a spider away from her. Granted it was a highly poisonous spider and she'd have been in trouble if it bit her but it was still frustrating that she was unable to free herself. With a groan she flopped on to the mat. She had no idea how long she'd been there but she was starting to feel faint from the lack of food and water. Giving up on magic, she decided to take a Muggle approach. She began to scream at the top of her lungs. She screamed until she could feel her throat burning. She screamed so loud, the spider moved to the other side of the room without magic. She screamed and screamed until the door heaved open and Marcus Flint stood in the doorway.

"WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME IS WRONG WITH YOU?" he shouted. "WILL YOU STOP THAT BLOODY SCREAMING?!"

Hermione stopped screaming and stared at him. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Where is David?"

"Dead," he replied. "Months ago. Unfortunate for both of us, it's me who has been slaving away for you."

"You?" Hermione questioned, watching the spider moving behind him. "But why?"

"Someone had to keep an eye on Potter's Mudblood," Flint told her. "In case we...needed you for something."

"Who is we?" Hermione asked, watching the spider stop directly behind Flint.

"You don't need to know," he answered. "Are you finished screaming?"

Hermione glared at him in response. Then she got an idea. "What's behind you?" Hermione shouted, widening her eyes.

Flint whirled around and the minute he turned his back Hermione used the magic she had left and moved the spider directly on to his shoulder. The magic agitated the spider so the minute it landed, it sunk its teeth into his neck before scurrying away.

"What the-?" Flint shouted, grabbing his neck. "A spider? That's the best you can do?"

"That is what is affectionately known as the Bellatrix spider," Hermione told him matter of factly. "After it bites, you have about 15 minutes before it spreads throughout your body, possibly less since it bit you right in the neck."

Flint looked horrified as the blood began to seep through his fingers. "There's an antidote," he said. "There has to be."

"Of course," Hermione replied. "In my lab at St. Mungo's."

Flint moved so quickly Hermione didn't have a chance to defend herself when he backhanded her across the face. "You stupid bitch," he shouted. "You think I'll let you free? I'd rather die."

Hermione wiped the blood from her lip. "Fine," she replied. "You will if you don't let me heal you."

"No, no," he said, beginning to pace. "What about _Exsugo_?

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Oh it figures the ONE thing the brightest witch doesn't know is the spell that could save my bloody life," he moaned.

"It's a spell?" she questioned. "I've never heard of it, what does it do?"

"It forcibly removes things from the body," he told her quickly. "In this case you'd use _exsugo venenum_ , for the poison. You have to put your wand directly on the entrance of the wound and it goes from the wound into the wand. You then have to expel it from the wand, usually into a bottle or vial."

"That's fascinating," Hermione said, forgetting she was a prisoner, excitement at the new information taking over.

Just then Flint dropped to his knees. "I can feel it," he gasped.

"Give me your wand," Hermione said. "Let me go, let me help you."

Flint cast a quick spell and Hermione felt the ropes burn. "What was that?"

"My wand can't be used to release the ropes," he smiled, blood seeping from his mouth. He held out his wand.

Hermione hesitated.

"That Gryffindor heart in you can't let me die," he said, choking on the words and the blood dripped down his face.

Hermione set her jaw and took the wand from his hand. He collapsed in front of her and a vial rolled out of his pocket.

" _Exsugo venenum_ ," she said, holding the wand to his neck. The wand began to vibrate and Hermione watched in horror as a thick, purple substance began to move from the wound into the wand. A minute passed, then two. Hermione watched as the bleeding slowed, then stopped completely. The purple substance disappeared completely but the wand began to shake violently in her hand. Moving carefully, Hermione removed the cap and placed the tip of the wand into the jar.

" _Expulso_ ," Flint told her, beginning to sound like himself.

Hermione said the spell and watched as the purple venom shot from the wand into the jar. She quickly capped the potion and before Flint could take his wand back, stunned him. He hadn't planned on her thinking that quickly, she reasoned. His desire to live had clouded his judgement. Lucky for her. But now what? She had his wand but couldn't use it. She'd had trouble with the stunning spell, the wand didn't like being used against its wizard. She sat debating whether or not to try a patronus with the wand when she heard a crash from above. Someone was here. She hit Flint with another stunning spell to be safe. Chances are whoever it was was working with Flint and she needed to be ready. Hermione awkwardly held the wand trained on the door and waited for it to open. She heard shouting now and more crashes. Then all of a sudden she heard a loud bang right outside of the door. She clutched the wand as the door swung open and she fired.

Fortunately for Draco, exhaustion and a foreign wand caused the spell to shoot to the left, missing Draco's head by a millimeter.

"Bloody hell woman!" Draco shouted, staring at Hermione. Her breath hitched when she saw who was in front of her. Her hair was wild, her lip was bleeding, she was filthy and Draco thought his heart would burst. She'd never looked more fierce, more beautiful.

"Draco?" she managed.

His name snapped him out of his observation and he rushed to her, kneeling on the floor and pulling her into his lap, taking her in his arms. She burst into tears and he whispered to her, kissing the top of her head, forgetting the auror team, Harry, his mother, and focusing solely on his witch. He had her back, he thought wildly, he had her back.

Harry stepped into the room and chuckled. At the sound, Hermione looked up at him. "Harry!" she cried and tried to jump up to hug him but was pulled back by the ropes.

"Get these off her," Draco snapped. "A whole team of you and no one untied her yet?"

Ignoring Draco, Ron walked into the room and with a wave of his wand, the ropes disappeared. Hermione moved from Draco's lap and threw herself into Harry's arms. He held her for a few minutes before passing her off to Ron. She mumbled something into his chest.

"You found me," she said again. "How did you find me?"

"Malfoy," Harry told her and Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she extracted herself from Ron's grip and went back into Draco's arms. He tightened his arms around her and put her on his side.

Harry gave Flint's unconscious body a kick and looked at Hermione. "You know we were worried about you," Harry told her with a laugh.

Ron laughed as well and said, "Can't imagine why."

Hermione gave a watery laugh and wrapped her arms tighter around Draco's waist as she felt the first tremor.

"Can we go?" she asked. "I'd really like to get out of here."

"We'll be at Hermione's flat if you need her," Draco said to Harry and Ron.

"Bring her to the Manor," Narcissa cut in. "The girl needs to be cared for."

"She needs to go to St. Mungo's," Harry chimed in.

"No," Hermione said, through her teeth, fighting another shiver. "My flat."

"Ms. Granger is about 10 seconds from an episode," Narcissa said briskly. "I have the potion she needs at the Manor but if she prefers her flat Draco and I will take her there."

Harry, Ron, and Draco all looked at Hermione alarmed by Narcissa's words. Hermione could feel their eyes on her and she couldn't hold it anymore. She began to shake.

"Mrs. Malfoy, can you apparate Hermione and Draco to Hermione's flat?" Harry asked. "You should be able to get in since you're with Hermione, her wards should adjust."

"Ms. Granger's wards accept me," Narcissa replied, sweeping forward. Draco lifted Hermione into his arms as the shaking began to worsen and Narcissa apparated them away. She apparated them directly to Hermione's front door and was grateful when none of Hermione's neighbors were around. Not bothering with the locks, Narcissa magically unlocked the door. Draco moved quickly to Hermione's room, his mother directly behind him. She opened the drawer next to Hermione's bed as Draco placed Hermione in her bed. He sat himself behind her and held her as his mother tipped her head back and poured the potion down Hermione's throat. The shaking subsided a few minutes later and, once it had passed, Hermione curled herself into Draco's lap.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."

"I'm feeling a bit tired, so I'm going to return to the Manor," Narcissa said. "Floo me if you need anything."

"Thank you mother," Draco said as he ran a hand up and down Hermione's back. "I'll floo you in the morning."

Narcissa walked to the bed and placed a kiss on Hermione's head. "You made it," she said, so low that only Hermione can hear. "He can't hurt you."

Hermione gave her a small smile and nodded. Narcissa moved away from Hermione's bed and left the room.

"Sleep," Draco said, moving them so they were both under her covers and she was curled at his side. "I'll be right here the whole night."

With Draco's arms around her and his words echoing in her mind, Hermione felt something she couldn't quite name but before she could think about it, she fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I obviously had to have Hermione save herself and the guys show up after she'd basically taken care of the situation. It just didn't feel right to do it any other way! Also, I should have mentioned this before the spells I made up are words in Latin translated via Google translate. Latin is not one of the languages I know!

Review, favorite, please & thank you! :)


	41. Chapter 41

Just under 12 hours later, Hermione woke with a start. She took a minute to orient herself, realizing she was in her own bed in her own room and not back in the dungeon with Flint. She slid her hand next to her and found the right side of the bed cool. Draco had probably gone home, she thought, fighting the pang of loss in her chest. He had other things to do than lay around and wait for her to wake up. But then her bedroom door opened and Draco walked in carrying a tray of food. She smiled at him and he returned it with one of his own.

"You're here," she said, fighting the urge to jump from the bed and leap into his arms.

"Of course I am," Draco replied, setting down the food on the bedside table. "Where else would I be?"

Where else would he be? she thought, her heart threatening to burst from her chest. Of course he was there.

"You brought me breakfast," she commented. "I think this is a first."

"It's lunch, actually," he replied. "A late lunch. And while I wish I could take credit for making it, that would be a lie. Jake knew chicken noodle soup was your favorite somehow so that's what he made you."

"Your mother," Hermione murmured. "I told her once how Mrs. Weasley used to make it for us all the time. She must have told Jake."

Draco sat down on the bed next to her and placed his hand on her cheek. "How are you?"

"I'm alright," Hermione replied, covering his hand with hers. "How are you? How's your mother? Oh my goodness, the patients, how are they?"

Draco shoved her gently when she tried to leap out of the bed. "I am fine, my mother is fine, the patients are under Luna's care so you know they're fine," he told her. "I just got you back, I'm not ready to let you go yet."

At his words Hermione stilled. "How did you know where to find me?" she asked. "No one told me."

"My father," Draco told her. "Potter took me with him when he went to question him. He left me in the room with my father and I pretended to be deceiving you so he'd talk to me. He made a mistake in something he said and it led me to you."

"Was it difficult to see him?" Hermione wanted to know, taking Draco's hand in hers and linking their fingers.

"Yes," he replied honestly. "But not for the reasons you think. It was hard to sit there and listen to him act the way he did, speak the way he did, and realize how easily that could have been me there. I could have turned into my father. I think I sort of am."

"That's nonsense," Hermione admonished. "You're nothing like your father."

"I tried to kill him," Draco admitted quietly. "I had my hands around his neck and I would have kept squeezing if Potter hadn't pulled me off. I would have killed him, Granger."

"Why?" she asked. "Why did you try to kill him?"

"He was saying horrible things about you, about what Flint would do to you, and I just lost it," he told her, looking upset. "I just lost it."

Hermione unlinked their hands and then, using the same hand that had held his, turned his face towards her. He stared into her eyes and she placed a featherlight kiss on his lips, once, then twice.

"I told you not to use violence to defend me," she said with a small smile. "But I think in this case, we can make an exception."

"But I-" Draco began but Hermione cut him off.

"Enough, Draco," she told him. "You are not your father, you can never be your father. You don't have it in you to do what he's done, I'm not sure you ever did. You've changed, you're with me. You are GOOD."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, staring at her. "How do you know?"

"Because I'm in love with you," Hermione told him with a smile. "And I couldn't fall in love with anyone who was less than the amazing man that you are."

Draco stared at her in awe, his emotions churning through him like waves during a storm. He leaned forward and kissed Hermione fully, their first real kiss since she'd been found. He pulled back and rested his forehead on hers.

"I love you too," he said quietly and Hermione felt her heart sing with joy. "I don't know when or how or why you love me but I love you Hermione Granger. I love you."

Hermione titled her head up and captured his lips with hers, moving so that she was sitting in his lap straddling him. She slid against his lap and immediately felt his cock harden in response. Draco's hands moved to her sides, fisting the shirt he'd changed her into after she'd fallen asleep. Hermione moved her mouth from his lips to his neck, before pulling back just enough to pull off the muggle tshirt he was wearing. She slid back, her mouth leaving a trail of kisses along his collarbone and chest and she moved her hands directly to the bulge in his boxers. Draco groaned from the contact and grabbed her by the wrists, pulling her up and their mouths fused again. He pulled the shirt off Hermione and flipped them so she lay beneath him. He slid his hands around her back and quickly got rid of her bra. He then, without warning, latched his mouth onto her breast. He rolled the nipple in between his teeth, soothing the sharp pain with a lick and Hermione moaned. He then switched, giving the other breast attention while playing with the other nipple. Hermione arched against him and moved her hands between them, reaching for his cock.

"Draco please," she begged. "Inside me, please."

"Later," he said lazily. "We have all the time in the world."

His mouth returned to hers and she arched against him again as the kiss moved from passionate to lazy and back. Gasping for air, they broke the kiss and Hermione flipped them again. Without waiting for Draco, she slid the boxers from his body and closed her mouth around his cock. Draco felt himself harden even more the minute her lips closed around him.

"Granger," he managed, as she skillfully slid her tongue up and down his cock before closing her mouth over it again, causing a strangle moan to be torn from his body. "Flip around," he managed.

She stopped sucking his cock and looked up at him puzzled. "What did you say?"

"Flip around," he tried again, feeling a small amount of the blood returning to his head. "I want to be able to reach you."

Understanding, Hermione flipped so her ass was now towards Draco's face. He pulled her towards him so that her pussy was right where he could reach it.

Perfect, he thought but that was his last coherent thought as Hermione slid her hand up and down his shaft following her hands with her mouth. He wanted to be inside her when he came so he'd have to work quickly to get her off. Draco slid a finger up her slid, pausing to rub it directly against her clit. Hermione's whole body twitched from the contact. He could see she was already wet so he slid a finger into her pussy, then a second. He began to pump them in and out, watching as they slid. This would be his cock, he thought, and his cock seemed to twitch in response. He could feel himself starting to get close so he decided to speed things up. He removed his fingers and Hermione whined from the loss but her whine was followed by a groan when his fingers were replaced by his mouth. Draco slid his tongue into her pussy, running in along the inside. He then returned his two fingers to her pussy and, as he pumped them in and out of her, attacked her clit. He sucked it into his mouth and ran his tongue against it. Up and down, slow and fast, a long lick directly on it. Hermione moaned with his cock still in her mouth and the vibrations of her moan made him even harder. She'd come first, he thought as he slid his fingers farther into her pussy. He felt the ridged spot at the back of her pussy and pressed against it and he drove her up and up until she released his cock and came. Her pussy tightened around his fingers but he didn't stop. He kept licking and pumping in and out of her until she came again, this time making her scream.

He released his grip on her sides and rolled her off of him and positioned himself at her entrance.

"I love you," he told her, and slid inside of her.

"I love you too," she gasped, feeling her pussy contract again against his cock.

He knew he wasn't going to last long so he held himself over her and pounded in to her, quick and hard. Hermione matched him thrust for thrust until he felt his orgasm build, then shatter him. He managed to collapse next to her instead of on top of her and they both lay there for several minutes, catching their breath. He turned onto his side and Hermione turned on to hers. Draco slid his hand up her side and pulled her to him. She nestled into the curve of his arm and threw an arm over his waist, their legs tangling and they cuddled close.

"Sleep," Draco said, closing his eyes. And Hermione allowed herself to drift off to sleep, wrapped around the man that she loved.

* * *

A/N: They're in love! Yay! And the story is going to end soon, ah! Review, favorite, thanks!


	42. Chapter 42

Hermione awoke a few hours later and found Draco asleep next to her. He probably hadn't slept at all, she thought, staring at the dark circles under his eyes. Leaving him to sleep, Hermione slipped out of his arms and threw on underwear, a t-shirt and shorts. She grabbed the tray of food and slipped out of the room. She carried the food into the kitchen and cast a warming spell on the food. She was halfway through Jake's amazing chicken noodle soup when there was a knock at the door. She had no idea where her wand was, she realized, so she moved quietly toward the door.

"Hermione, it's Harry!" The voice called from the other side of the door. Hermione knew it was him but she couldn't bring herself to open the door. What if it wasn't him?

"Damn it, Hermione, open this door right now!" She heard Ginny say and stomp her foot. With a quiet chuckle she opened the door and was immediately enveloped in a hug.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked squeezing Hermione. "I was so worried."

"I'm okay," Hermione managed to get out as Ginny squeezed the oxygen from her body. "Gin, too tight."

Ginny squeaked and let her go. Harry shut the door behind him then moved in and gave her a quick hug.

"You're sure you're okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine," Hermione told him. "Draco took good care of me."

"Where is Malfoy?" Ginny asked curiously, looking around Hermione's flat.

"He's asleep in my room," Hermione replied. "I'm guessing he didn't sleep at all?"

"None of us did," Harry told her. "We couldn't."

"Will you tell me what you know?" Hermione asked.

"I'm actually here on official Auror business," Harry said, giving his wife a look. "But someone insisted on coming."

"Oh hush," Ginny said to him. "I'll go now, I left James with Kreacher, who knows what he's doing to him."

"Kreacher would never harm James!" Hermione exclaimed.

"It's James hurting Kreature that I'm worried about," Ginny said with a laugh. "Come over for dinner tomorrow, everyone will be there."

"Alright I will," Hermione said, giving Ginny a hug.

"Bring Malfoy," Ginny instructed. "I'm guessing he'll be around a while?"

"Yes, yes he will," Hermione said with a smile. "See you tomorrow Gin."

Ginny opened Hermione's front door and walked out. Harry moved into Hermione's flat and sat down in the arm chair adjacent to the couch. Hermione curled on the couch. Harry opened his mouth to speak but there was a noise in the hallway, followed by cursing, and a slightly disheveled Draco appeared at the end of the hallway. He'd thrown on a pair of silver pajama pants he'd found in Hermione's drawer and walked out at the sound of voices. He'd been in the hallway when Hermione told Ginny he'd be around for a while. Then he'd run straight into who knows what and since his presence was known, made his appearance in the living room.

"Malfoy," Harry said with a nod.

"Potter," Draco replied, moving to sit next to Hermione on the couch.

Hermione instinctively leaned forward so Draco could put his arm around her and she settled back against him. Harry didn't comment, just observed the two of them. There was something more there, he realized, but he wasn't ready to think about what.

"Hermione, I need you to tell me everything that you remember that happened," Harry requested. "Every detail matters."

"Not going to ask me to leave?" Draco asked, surprised. "Why Potter, I think you're starting to like me!"

Harry snorted in response. "Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy," he replied. "I know if I asked you to leave, you wouldn't, so I'm just saving time."

Draco seemed satisfied by Harry's answer so he looked again to Hermione. "Everything you can remember," Harry said as he set the QuickQuill and parchment on the coffee table. Ignore the quill, just talk to me."

Hermione spoke quietly but strongly and recounted everything to Harry. She could feel Draco tense next to her any time she spoke about Flint coming in to the room and she linked their fingers together as she spoke, hoping to calm him. When she was finished, Harry asked her a few questions about what she'd said and what she'd seen and, after she answered his questions, he packed away the quill and parchment.

"Will you tell me what you know now?" she asked.

"As long as you understand, both of you, that what I tell you cannot leave this room," Harry said, looking at Hermione, then Draco. "And as long as you understand that you cannot do anything with the information I'm giving you."

"I understand," Hermione replied.

Harry looked at Draco when he didn't immediately respond. "Understood, Malfoy?" Harry asked. "I promise I am personally taking care of this case."

Draco stared at Harry but then slowly nodded. "Understood," he said. "Let's hear it."

Harry explained everything that had happened from the minute Draco woke up and realized Hermione hadn't come home. He told her of Narcissa's help with the letters, skimmed over the details of the real David's death and explained everything that Lucius had told them.

"So what's going to happen to Flint?" Hermione wanted to know.

"He'll have a trial," Harry told her. "But I doubt we'll need you to testify. He'll be sentenced to spend time in Azkaban and, in a few years, hopefully enter your program."

"That's insane," Draco said, leaning forward. "You're going to eventually let him out?"

"It's kidnapping," Harry replied. "We can't put him away for life for that."

"You're not going to charge him for what he did during the war?" Draco demanded. "He was a Death Eater."

"I don't have any proof of his crimes," Harry said wearily. "All I can do is ensure that he goes to Azkaban for the maximum amount of time,which shouldn't be difficult since we fought along side the majority of the sitting Wizengamot and this was obviously premeditated. That's the best I can do."

"That's good enough," Hermione said, laying a hand on Draco's knee. "Thank you, Harry."

Draco still looked mutinous but Harry watched in fascination as he didn't contradict Hermione.

"What will happen to Lucius?" Hermione asked and she felt Draco stiffen behind her.

"He's already in Azkaban for the rest of his life," Harry told her. "There really isn't anything we can do. He's been placed in a 24/7 solitary cell that he won't be allowed to leave for some time. That's about it."

Hermione looked at Draco and kissed his clenched jaw. "That's good, Harry," she told him. "Right Draco?"

"Fine," Draco relented, kissing Hermione on her forehead. "That's fine."

"I'm going to go then," Harry said, standing. "I want to file my final report tonight and get home in time to tuck James in. Your wand is in the drawer with your Muggle things, by the way. Thought it was the safest place for it. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Hermione rose as well and hugged Harry. "See you tomorrow," she replied. "Thank you for everything."

Draco and Harry nodded to one another and Harry left the flat. Draco and Hermione sat on the couch for a few minutes, just happy to be together again.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Draco wanted to know.

"I am," Hermione told him. "I just want everything to go back to normal."

"It will," Draco said, giving her a kiss. "Now, what do you want to do?"

"I don't even know what time it is," Hermione replied with a laugh. "My concept of time is all wonky."

"It's nearly 9pm," Draco told her. "We slept away almost the entire day."

"Let's get something to eat," Hermione decided, as her stomach began to grumble.

"Chinese?" Draco asked hopefully.

"Sure," Hermione said with a laugh. "I'll give them a call. Do you know what you want?"

"Whatever you got last time is fine," he replied.

Hermione got up from the couch and went into the kitchen with a smile. As she placed the order, she watched Draco make himself comfortable on her couch. This is what she needed, she thought. A normal night with her boyfriend. With a promise that the food would be there in 25 minutes, Hermione walked back into the living room.

"I want a shower," Hermione said. "Are you okay to hang out here?"

"I think I'll go back to the Manor quickly," Draco replied. "I'll shower as well and I'd like to check on my mother. I'm sure Blaise has been by but I just want to make sure she's okay."

"Will you give her a hug for me?" Hermione asked. "And tell her thank you for everything."

"Of course," Draco answered, rising from the couch. "How long until the food is here?"

"Half hour," Hermione replied.

"I'll be back in a half hour then," Draco said, moving toward the fireplace.

Hermione walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. His arms came around her automatically and he rested his chin on top of her head.

"I love you," she murmured. "I really do."

"I really love you too," he replied, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'll be back in a half hour."

They separated and Draco flooed to the Manor as Hermione moved through her flat into the bathroom. She stripped off her clothes and stepped under the hot stream of water, washing away the dirt, the sweat, the blood, the last few days and when she stepped out of the shower, she felt clean.

* * *

A/N: Today is another busy day, I may not be able to upload again until tomorrow. Review & favorite the story, I love knowing that you love it!


	43. Chapter 43

The following day Hermione and Draco arrived at the Potter's to find everyone else already there. Pansy jumped from her seat and hugged Hermione the minute she walked through the door. Draco nodded to Ron, Harry, and Ginny. He hadn't realized Blaise and Gina wouldn't be there. This was a Golden trio and their partners dinner. He hoped he survived it.

"You're okay?" Pansy demanded to know, holding Hermione at arm's length to examine her. "Draco's been taking care of you?"

"I'm fine," Hermione assured her. "Draco's done an excellent job of caring for me."

"Well that's a first," Pansy said jokingly, looking to Draco. "Third year he killed my cactus."

"I told you I wouldn't take care of that bloody plant," Draco replied with a grin. "It's your own fault for leaving it with me."

Harry, Ron, and Ginny all took turns embracing Hermione as Draco stood awkwardly behind her.

"Oh, what the hell," Ginny said and she threw her arms around Draco.

When his arms stayed at his sides she said, "Hug me back you git."

Draco uncertainly wrapped his arms around Ginny, releasing her a second later. "You're a bad hugger," Ginny told him.

"I'll practice," Draco said wryly, looking at Hermione as she wrapped her arms around his waist and he brought his arm around her.

"Dinner is served," Kreacher said from the doorway and they all turned.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry replied.

"I'll run up and grab James," Ginny said. "You can all head into the dining room."

"Can I get him?" Hermione asked hopefully. "I haven't held him in ages."

"Of course!" Ginny exclaimed. "Draco, go with her, the rest of us will wait for you in the dining room."

Hermione looked curiously at Draco and he shrugged. He walked out of the room with Hermione while the others just watched in surprise.

"What are you up to Gin?" Harry asked his wife suspiciously.

"Not a thing!" she replied innocently. "Let's go into the dining room."

As they made their way into the dining room, Hermione and Draco entered James' nursery. It was painted to look like a Quidditch stadium and the walls were covered in pictures from games and of players. There were Gryffindor colors throughout the room and even a stuffed Gryffindor lion in the crib with James.

"Leave it to the Potters to have a room like this," Draco said shaking his head. "The kid doesn't have a chance."

"Draco," Hermione scolded. "That's my godson you're talking about."

Hermione picked James up from his crib and cradled him in her arms. Draco came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on her shoulder and looking at James.

"Maybe with you as a godmother he's got a shot," Draco said.

"He's beautiful," Hermione said, smiling as James opened his eyes and wrapped his small hand around her finger. "He'll be too big for this soon."

"They grow up fast," Draco replied, suddenly uneasy with the desire that ran through him. Not just for her, he realized, but for this. For them. For a child. Draco stepped back from Hermione and moved toward the door.

"Do you want kids?" Hermione's timid question came from behind him, stopping him at the door. Draco turned at looked at her holding James.

"I didn't before, no" Draco replied honestly. "I never wanted a child to grow up the way I did."

"And now?" Hermione asked anxiously.

Draco stared at her thoughtfully then walked back over to her. "I think I might," he said slowly. "Just not right now."

Hermione's smile bloomed across her face. "Good," she replied. "That's good."

Together they walked out of James' room and joined their friends in the dining room. Hermione took the seat on the end and Draco sat to her left. Harry sat at the head of the table and Ginny sat directly across from him at the other end. Ron was across from Hermione and Pansy was across from Draco. A minute later, an assortment of food appeared on the table.

"Kreacher really out did himself!" Hermione exclaimed, reaching for the mashed potatoes.

"He always does this when Ron comes to dinner," Ginny replied, raising an eyebrow at her brother.

Draco watched in awe as the group grabbed plates and bowls from the table, reaching over each other to get to the food, laughing as they did. He watched in shock as Pansy stole carrots directly from Ron's plate and moved them onto her own. He somehow ended up with a plate full of food in front of him and he noticed everything he liked had made it on to his plate.

"It can be a bit overwhelming," Hermione whispered with a smile. "The first time Pansy had dinner with us Ron had to make her plate too."

Draco smiled back at her in acknowledgement and began to eat. The conversation flowed well enough and Ron even managed to stop glaring at Draco. By the end of the meal, the six were stuffed full and James had fallen asleep in his rocker.

"I'm going to take him up to bed," Ginny whispered. "I'll be back shortly."

Everyone else wandered from the dining room into the living room.

"Hermione, Harry, can I speak to you a moment?" Ron requested.

Hermione and Ron agreed and followed Harry out of the room. Alone, Pansy gestured for Draco to sit with her on the couch.

"So you survived a dinner at the Potter house," Pansy said with a smile. "Congratulations."

"I never thought I'd see this happen," Draco replied with a laugh. "But I had a surprisingly good time."

"They're good people, Draco," Pansy told him, suddenly serious. "They all gave me a second chance, took me in, made me feel like I was family. They forgave me for everything I did to them. I can't tell you how happy I am to see them doing the same for you."

"They're only doing it because I'm with Hermione," he answered grudgingly. "Your boyfriend would have had me out on my arse if he wasn't half-scared of what she could do."

"They're protective," Pansy said dismissively. "But Ginny hugged you today. Harry looks at you now with respect rather than contempt and even Ron had good things to say about how much you helped them find Hermione."

"Weasley had good things to say about me?" Draco asked with a grin. "How sweet."

"Oh stop," Pansy replied, slapping his shoulder. "We're lucky Draco, very lucky. And if I haven't told you, I'm proud of you."

"Proud of me?" he questioned.

"Yes," Pansy replied, looking up as Hermione walked back into the room, followed by Ron and Harry.

Hermione sat next to Draco and Pansy moved over so that Ron could sit next to her. Ginny walked in a minute later and joined Harry on the loveseat. They sat chatting idly as Harry and Hermione kept looking at Ron. Finally, Ron cleared his throat loudly and the conversation stopped.

"Right, so, uh, Malfoy, can I have a word?" Ron asked.

Draco stared at him for a minute, unable to answer.

"Ron?" Pansy asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Go," Hermione whispered and when Draco gave her a look that said you-cannot-be-serious, she continued. "Trust me."

"Er, yeah, sure, a word," Draco said, looking at Hermione.

He and Ron awkwardly walked out of the room, staying a safe distance apart as they walked.

"What's that about?" Pansy asked and Ginny looked confused as well.

"Work," Harry answered vaguely. "Pansy, how's your photography coming?"

While Pansy happily chatted about her next shoot, Ron and Draco stood in the hallway, unspeaking.

"To have a word with someone, you usually have to talk," Draco finally said.

"Pansy," Ron began, but stopped, then started again. "Hermione says Pansy is like a sister to you."

Draco thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yes," he said, still nodding. "Yeah I suppose she is."

Ron pulled a ring from his pocket and held it out to Draco. A large beautiful diamond sat on a gold band. Draco looked at Ron, mouth agape.

"You're going to?" Draco managed.

"If I have your blessing," Ron replied anxiously.

"Bloody hell," Draco breathed. "I guess I'm stuck with you forever."

Ron looked ready to hug him so Draco held out his hand in defense. Ron look at it for a minute, then shook his hand.

"You're still a ginger asshole," Draco told him.

"And you're still a pasty ferret," Ron replied.

Together they walked back into the living room. Draco took his seat next to Hermione and Pansy looked at Ron confused when he didn't sit down.

"Ron?" she asked nervously, thinking he was about to break up with her in front of his friends. "What's wrong?"

"Pansy, I love you," he said, tripping over the words. "The day that you became a part of my life and every day since have been so amazing. How about we spend the rest of our days together?

Pansy's hands flew over her mouth and Ron moved and got down on one knee in front of her.

"Pansy Parkinson, will you marry me?"

* * *

A/N: What will she saaaaaaay!?


	44. Chapter 44

The room was dead silent and everyone's eyes were on Pansy's. She uncovered her mouth and held out her hand.

"Yes," she said, with tears streaming down her face. "Absolutely yes."

Grinning like a fool, Ron slid the ring on her finger and they kissed as Harry, Ron, and Ginny cheered.

Everyone except Draco rose to hug and congratulate the happy couple.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ginny asked, happy tears streaming down her face as well. "I could have gotten champagne!"

"He only told us 10 minutes ago," Harry said, putting his arm around his wife. "We can celebrate at their wedding."

"We're going to go," Hermione cut in, giving Harry and Ginny a look.

"Oh, I hear James!" Ginny fibbed. "Must have woken up! Harry, help me!"

Harry let himself be dragged out of the room by his wife with a confused look on his face.

"You two head home," Hermione said, giving them a gentle push towards the door. "Go celebrate."

Seemingly dazed, Ron and Pansy walked out of Grimmauld Place ahead of Hermione and Draco. Hermione watched with a smile as Ron swept Pansy into his arms and apparated them away. Not to be outdone, Draco picked up Hermione and, fastening his mouth to hers, waited for her to apparate them away, which she did immediately.

They appeared outside of her building and Draco set her on her feet. They walked hand in hand into her building and, a few minutes later they settled themselves on Hermione's couch.

"You gave Ron your permission," Hermione said, moving so her head was against his chest and his arm came around her back.

"She loves him," Draco said, shrugging. "He's brave enough to want to marry her. Hard to say no."

Hermione's laughed vibrated against his chest. "What were you and Pansy talking about when we came back into the room? she wanted to know.

"She was saying that she was proud of me," Draco told her, toying with her hair.

"She should be," Hermione replied. "I am."

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Hermione placed a kiss on his chest and they lapsed into silence. Draco watched as a spider made its way across Hermione's ceiling then down the wall.

"There's a spider in your flat," Draco said. "He's on the wall, just over there."

Hermione followed his hand and stared at the spider. She immediately thought back to the Flint and the spider and shuddered. Draco tightened his arms around her.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to remind you of that."

Hermione took a deep breath and focused on Draco's arms around her. "It's alright," she told him. "I just feel terribly that I made the spider attack him."

"But you also saved him," Draco pointed out. "I think that makes you even."

"Yes, I suppose so," she murmured.

"I mean to ask you, how did you know that spell?" he asked.

"He taught it to me," Hermione replied. "So I could save him. Have you heard of it?"

"It's an old spell," Draco told her. "Invented by some pureblood hundreds of years ago. Voldemort would use it, taught it to a number of the Death Eaters."

"Why haven't I heard of it then?" Hermione wanted to know.

"There was only one version of the book it was printed in," Draco answered. "The first time Voldemort came into power he destroyed the book. He only wanted the people he chose to know how to use it."

"What did he use it for?" Hermione asked quietly.

Draco sighed and sat up, pulling Hermione into his lap. "If I say I don't know would you believe me and let the subject drop?"

"No," Hermione replied.

"He would poison someone," Draco told her grudgingly. "He'd let the poison run the majority of its course and then, at the last minute, remove the poison from the person's body so they didn't die. He would do it as punishment for Death Eaters who failed him."

"Did he ever do it to you?" Hermione questioned.

"No," Draco replied. "He only used it on the ones who really fucked up and did so more than once."

"So it removes the poison from the body?" Hermione asked pensively. "Through however the poison entered the body?"

"Yes," Draco said, looking at her. "What are you thinking?"

"Can you use the spell to remove anything?" Hermione asked, jumping from Draco's lap and beginning to pace.

"He removed a man's blood once," Draco told her, shifting on the couch and looking up at her. "He died. Why?"

"What if there's a piece of the Cruciatus curse left behind when you have it used on you that many times?" Hermione asked excitedly. "What if we can find a way to pull what's left of the curse out of the person using that spell?"

"That's possible," Draco replied, thinking carefully. "But there's a great deal of risk involved. You could end up pulling out something important or hurting the person further. Plus you'd need somewhere that the curse entered the body."

"The chest," Hermione said. "Every single patient described being hit in the chest with the curse, never anywhere else. What if it left a mark on their chest? Somewhere we can see. We never examined the patient's bodies for anything like that."

"You don't have a mark on your chest," Draco pointed out. "I would know."

Hermione stopped pacing and thought for a moment, then looked down. "My arm," she said, staring at it with a mix of excitement and horror. "Draco, Bellatrix carved this into my arm as she cursed me. What if that's my mark?"

"So what exactly are you suggesting?" Draco asked, getting up from the couch and walking towards her. "That we drag the remainder of the Cruciatus curse from your body through a mark given to you by a maniac using a spell that was originally intended to use for torture and punishment?"

"Exactly!" she exclaimed but then frowned. "But when you put it that way, it sounds terrible."

"Hermione," Draco said, leading her back to the couch and sitting her down next to him. "This sounds like a great idea but there's so much potential for it to go wrong. You could hurt or even kill one of your patients if you don't do it exactly right."

"That's why I'm not going to try it on a patient first," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"Who are you going to try it on then?" Draco asked.

"Me," she said. "And you're going to do it."

* * *

A/N: With all the excitement, I bet you thought I forgot about Hermione's research. Never! This story ended up crazy long but we're finally winding down. Only a few chapters left!

Also someone wrote a review that the chapters come out of order if I upload more than one? So I'll do one at a time from now on and leave time in between if I'm going to upload multiple chapters so that doesn't happen! It may slow down the uploading of the last few chapters but I'd hate for them to end up in the wrong order.


	45. Chapter 45

Draco stared at Hermione for several minutes, mouth gaping.

She sat calmly on the couch, hands folded in her lap, waiting for him to respond.

"No," he said finally. "Absolutely not."

"Draco, please" she replied. "Be rational."

"Be rational?" He repeated, staring at her in disbelief. "BE RATIONAL?"

"Yes," Hermione told him. "You're the only person I trust to do it. You have the knowledge, the skill, you're just as invested in this research as I am. Plus if I'm right and this works we could actually heal the people in that ward, rather than just numbing their symptoms and their pain. There's no downside."

Draco's eyes bulged out of his head. "No down side? No down side?" He jumped from the couch as he raged at her. "What if you're wrong? What if I hurt you? Hermione, what if I kill you?"

"You won't," Hermione said simply. "I trust you."

"You're being naive," Draco told her, looking at her. She looked so calm, he thought. How could she look so calm?

"Draco, I've thought about this," she said, standing and walking toward him. She laid a hand on his face. "I'm right. This will work."

"How can you be sure?" He asked, pulling away from her. "How?"

"I just am," she replied, starting to get frustrated. "I know the spell will work, I know you can cast it, I know that we can cure me then we can cure the others."

"Then why not try on a patient?" Draco insisted, turning to face her again. "If you're so sure it'll work, try it on a patient."

Hermione opened her mouth to answer then closed it, realizing that her answer would have proven Draco's point. Draco saw the realization cross her face and looked at her triumphantly. "Because it's too dangerous?" He offered. "Because they could be hurt? Because they could die?"

"The reward is worth the risk," Hermione replied cryptically.

They stared at eachother, only a foot separating them but it could have been a whole Quidditch pitch.

"I can't ask a patient to do that," Hermione told him quietly. "If I am the recipient, I know for sure I'm not risking anyone else's life. That's important to me, Draco."

She crossed to him, stopping directly in front of him. She placed her hands on his chest and Draco closed his hands over hers.

"I need to test this theory," Hermione said, looking at Draco's face. "A cure is at our fingertips. I need to know if it'll work. I need to know if I can help them."

Draco looked at her face and, with a sigh, gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"Ask a patient," Draco requested grudgingly. "Ask all of them. If no one volunteers, then I'll perform the spell on you."

"Draco, I already said, I can't," Hermione began.

"Those are my conditions," Draco replied, unwavering. "Take it or leave it."

Hermione thought for a moment. "Okay," she said slowly. "You have a deal."

She sealed their deal with a kiss. Draco released her hands and wrapped his arms around her as hers slid around his waist.

"I love you," Draco said against her lips. "I can't lose you."

"I love you too," Hermione answered, giving him a quick kiss. "I'm yours as long as you want me."

Draco was staggered when the word "forever" popped into his mind in response to her statement. The shock must have reflected on his face because Hermione looked at him questioningly.

"Just realized I forgot to do something for Blaise," he lied smoothly. "I'll have to do it tomorrow."

"Why don't you go do it now?" Hermione suggested amiably.

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "So you can sneak off and talk to all your patients?" Draco asked and nearly laughed when Hermione's face became riddled with guilt.

"Tomorrow," he said, giving her a kiss. "But I'm going with you to make sure you don't try to talk anyone out of it."

"Tomorrow," Hermione agreed, pulling out of his arms. "So how do you want to spend the rest of our evening?"

Draco grinned at her and moved down her hallway toward her bedroom. "I think I'll go to bed," he said casually.

"Oh?" Hermione asked, breezing past him and walking into her room. "I guess I'll go to bed as well."

Draco shut her bedroom door and stripped out of his clothes. "A bit warm tonight," he said glibly. "Hope this is alright."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him and, not to be outdone, stripped out of her clothes as well. "It is quite warm," she replied, sliding onto the bed.

Draco lay down next to her, just far away so that they weren't touching but just close enough that with the smallest movement they would be. "Well, goodnight," he said pleasantly.

"Goodnight Malfoy," Hermione replied, closing her eyes.

They both lay there, unmoving, waiting for the other to cave and make the first move.

Hermione was impatient, Draco thought smugly. There's no way she wouldn't be the first to break.

He's really patient, Hermione thought, then a small smile appeared on her face. She'd channel her inner Slytherin.

She arched her back, the movement causing Draco to open his eyes and stare as her breasts rose up next to him. Hermione tried not to smile when she watched him grow hard at the sight of her. Knowing his eyes were on her, she slid her index finger into her mouth, pulling it out with a pop. Draco felt himself harden even more. He tried to look away, stare at anything but her but he couldn't help but feel his gaze pulled back to her as he watched her slide her hand between her legs. He watched as she spread her legs and slid her finger up and down her pussy then in, moaning as she did. He felt his cock twitch in response. She was cheating, he realized, and would have been proud of he hadn't been so incredibly aroused. Hermione began to pump her finger in and out of her pussy, adding extra breathy groans and moans, watching out of the corner of her eye as Draco's hand slid to his cock. She removed her finger and ran it across her clit as a small shudder ran through her and another moan left her lips.

"I'm so close," she whispered.

Draco couldn't take it anymore, and apparently neither could Hermione because they both moved together at the exact same time, meeting in the middle. Draco pushed her back roughly and slid into her, knowing she was more than ready. She quickly cast the contraceptive charm. All it took were a few thrusts and they both came, panting as Draco rolled off of her and pulled her to his side.

"That was incredibly Slytherin of you," he managed, still out of breath.

Hermione gave a half gasp, half laugh in response. "I'd say we're both grateful for what I did," she replied. "Otherwise we could have waited forever."

There was that word again. Forever. Draco stared at the celing as he held her, wondering why all of a sudden the word was so terrifying. He was in love with her, she was his match in every way, and she loved him too. Forever with her didn't seem so terrifying.

And for some reason, when she said it, Hermione felt her heart skip. Forever, she thought. She could stay like this, be with him, forever and rather than the panic it was currently causing Draco, it made her smile. She loved him, she wanted to be with him. Forever. Hermione rolled on top of Draco and kissed him lightly.

She smiled at him, just smiled, and Draco knew. He leaned up and kissed her, slowly, sliding his mouth over hers. He'd never taken his time with her, he realized, never showed her any of the romance she deserved. He would, he vowed, starting right now. Where Hermione tried to rush, he slowed. When she tried to reach for his cock, he flipped them and held her hands over her head. He slid his tongue languidly over her body, slowly bringing her more pleasure than she'd ever felt.

"Don't move," he whispered, releasing her hands so he could slide down her body. He spread her legs and slowly placed kissing along the insides of her legs. His finger teased her entrance, sliding everywhere but where he knew she was dying to be touched.

"Draco," he heard his name strangle out of her, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please."

At her request he slid a finger inside of her, torturously sliding it in and out. Her hips rose from the bed, seeking more. He slid a second finger into her pussy and curled the tips toward him, pressing on her most sensitive spot. She groaned as the pressure began to build. She whimpered and Draco continued to pump his fingers in and out of her and, when he could tell she was close, he closed his mouth over her clit, suckling and using his tongue to drive her to an earth-shattering orgam. Hermione moaned as the orgasm shot through her body, the airbrushing out of her lungs and, before she could fully recover, Draco slid into her and she came again. Draco grunted as her pussy clamped down around his cock, threatening to make him cum right then and there. Using all of his control, he waited, resting his forehead on Hermione's. She leaned up and kissed him, tangling their tongues, pulling his body towards hers and, when he was fully absorbed in her, she rolled them.

"Let me," she whispered, rolling her hips, taking Draco's cock deeper. She cast the contraceptive charm, the familiar warm feeling of it settling on her.

She then began to ride him, moving slowly up and down, her breasts rising and falling with each thrust. Draco reached up and took her breasts in his hands, sliding her nipples into tight peaks as he filled his hands with her. Hermione leaned forward so his cock would hit her clit as she felt him growing closer and closer. Draco could barely breathe and he dropped his hands to her waist, holding on as she drove him over the edge. He came inside her, grunting as he felt himself come undone. Hermione slid down onto his chest, his cock still inside her.

Draco lay there, trying to find the words to say to her to convey the depth of his feelings for her. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't notice as her breathing evened and Hermione fell asleep on top of him.

"Hermione?" He whispered, realizing she hadn't moved or spoken.

When she didn't respond, he smiled. He carefully slid her from his chest to his side and, curling around her, fell asleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

A/N: Smut because why not? Anyway, thoughts on who will get their way, Draco or Hermione? Review, favorite, thanks!


	46. Chapter 46

The next morning Draco awoke to find the bed empty and loud singing coming from the kitchen. Groggily, he dragged himself from Hermione's bed and walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning!" She said brightly. "Breakfast?"

Draco wiped the sleep from his eyes and stared at the stove and counter in front of him. There were a stack of lie berry pancakes, a giant plate of bacon, a large plate of hashbrowns, around 20 chocolate chip muffins, and Hermione was finishing a pan of scrambled eggs.

"Are we having company?" He asked.

Hermione looked at everything and laughed. "I suppose I got a bit carried away," She said.

"A bit?" Draco replied, arching his eyebrow.

"Okay, a lot," Hermione replied. "I had something I wanted to ask you."

"So this is bribery?" Draco asked with a grin. "Why, Granger, I'm surprised at you!"

"Just eat," she told him, embarrassed. She turned her back to him and turned off the stove.

Draco came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Everything looks wonderful," he said. "I'm feeling very suceptible to bribery right now."

"Grab a plate," Hermione told him. "I'll explain to you what I want to do."

Draco filled his plate as Hermione filled hers then they sat down together at the table to eat.

"So what do you want to do?" Draco asked after biting into a phenomenal chocolate chip muffin.

"I was thinking we should practice the spell," Hermione said. "Before I ask someone to volunteer I want to make sure we're proficient at it so we reduce the risk of hurting whoever it is that we end up using the spell on."

"That's a great idea," Draco told her, thinking perhaps if they couldn't master the spell, she wouldn't want to test it. "But how can we practice it? I doubt you want to crucio someone into leaving a piece of it behind then trying to extract it."

"Never!" Hermione exclaimed vehemently. "I was thinking we could try with harmless potions. Then work our way up to poisons. Then try it on the "volunteer"."

"So who exactly are we going to shoot up with potions then extract potions from?" Draco asked. "I hate to point out the obvious but we need people for that."

"We have teaching cadavers," Hermione replied. "We use them to train the healers. They're charmed to function as a real human body."

"Where do you get the bodies?" Draco asked, setting down his fork. He didn't feel much like eating anymore.

"People donate their bodies," Hermione said, munching on a piece of bacon. "Some extraordinarily dedicated healers want to be able to help teach even after they're gone so they donate their bodies so they can be used for practice."

Draco shuddered. "That's a bit barbaric, don't you think?"

Hermione shrugged. "That's magical science," she replied. "We need to do this."

"You keep saying we," Draco pointed out. "Why do I have to do it too?"

"Because we're working together," she said with a smile. "And...in case there isn't a volunteer, you'll have to do it."

Draco scowled in response. They'd find a volunteer, he vowed. Even if he had to bribe one of her patients. He wouldn't risk her life, couldn't risk her life, no matter what she said. "Fine," he replied. "But you're forgetting one important thing, I don't have a wand."

"You don't have your wand," Hermione replied. "But working with me is a condition of your rehabilitation and you are required to learn this spell with me as part of it. I can't get you your wand but I can get you a wand to use just for this purpose."

"Leave it to you to find a loophole that benefits you," he grumbled. "Let me guess you want to start today?"

"As soon as we're done eating!" Hermione said excitedly, digging into her stack of pancakes as Draco reluctantly went back to his eggs. She'd convinced him, she thought excitedly. They'd do this together. She hadn't realized how important it was to her that they do this as a team. Not just for the completion of the final phase but so he could have something tangible to show the wizarding world that he'd changed. They would do it, she thought confidently. Together.

Three hours later they found themselves in the cadaver labs in the lowest level of St. Mungo's. They would have been there sooner but Draco had distracted Hermione in the shower, then Hermione had distracted Draco in the hallway, then they'd distracted each other in her room. They'd walked into St. Mungo's hand in hand, a content smile on Hermione's face and a less severe scowl on Draco's. Now they stood over the former Healer Chuckles Troll, Jr. debating over how exactly they should begin.

"We can't just shoot him up with whatever we can find," Hermione argued. "We need to choose specific potions and work our way towards the more deadly ones."

"He's a magically charmed corpse," Draco argued back. "What does it matter what we shoot him up with? He's already dead! It's not like we can kill him again!"

"What if it's more difficult to remove a poisonous spell than it is a harmless or helpful one?" she replied, raising her voice. "Don't you think we should start easy before we try to remove an unforgivable curse?"

"Why bother starting easy if we know you can already perform the spell?" he answered, raising his voice to match hers. "Let's just use a poison and then if we have trouble with it, try something easier."

"Why would we start in the middle and move backwards?" she demanded, raising her voice to the point that she was shouting. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Why do you insist on wasting time on easy bullshit when we could just cut straight to the case?" Draco shouted back. "THAT doesn't make any sense."

"You are IM-POSSIBLE!" Hermione shouted. "We're supposed to be working together, this isn't working together."

"Haven't you ever worked with anyone before?" He shouted in response. "You fight and then you figure shit out. That's working together."

Hermione released a strangled groan in response and Draco gave her a look. They stared at each other for a few minutes before Hermione relented.

"Fine," she said. "We'll try it your way."

When Draco looked smug that he'd won, she continued. "With the understand that when you see that you're wrong, you cannot say a word when I repeatedly tell you I was right."

"Done," Draco answered, confidently. "Let's shoot up Chuckles. What should we use?"

"There's spider venom in the cabinet," Hermione said, walking over to it. "We keep it down here along with the antidote to give trainees the practice to recognize a poisoning by a spider."

"Perfect," Draco answered.

Hermione held her hand up in front of the cabinet. After a moment, the door slid open and she removed the spider venom. She then did the same in front of the drawer beneath the cabinet and removed two needles from the drawer. With those in her hand, she then walked to a chest and, opening it in the same manner she'd opened the cabinet and the drawer, she removed two wands. She returned to Draco and carefully measured slightly less than a lethal dose of the poison.

"You go first," Hermione invited, handing him one of the wands.

"Why can't I use my own?" Draco wanted to know.

"When I cast the spell, the wand absorbs the poison, only to then have to be released into something else," Hermione informed him. "I don't want to risk something happening to your wand."

"So where do you get these?" Draco asked, inspecting the wand she'd handed him. Before she could answer, a thought crossed his mind and he dropped the wand. "Are these dead people's wands?"

"No," Hermione said, with a laugh, picking up the wand and handing it back to him. "Ollivander makes these for us. They're all the same, 9 inch, birch, with kelpie mane as the core. They're not great wands but they do for our purposes."

Draco looked at the wand again and shrugged. "I'm a great wizard," he told her. "I can use any wand."

Hermione rolled her eyes in response and set up a potion bottle next to the body. With a flick of her wand, the began the charm that made Chuckles seem like a live, real person.

"I'm going to inject it directly into his bloodstream," Hermione told him. "So you'll only have to wait a few minutes for it to work."

Hermione then injected the poison into Chuckles. They stood in silence as they watched as Chuckles began to sweat and shake.

"Wait until he begins to vomit," Hermione told him. "Then try to remove the poison."

"He's going to vomit?" Draco asked, moving backward.

"Not actual vomit," Hermione said annoyed. "He vomits soap suds. Get back here, it'll be just another minute."

Draco moved back next to Chuckles and Hermione. A minute later soap suds began to come out of Chuckles' mouth.

"Now," Hermione instructed.

" _Exsugo venenum_ ," Draco said, holding the tip of the wand directly over the spot where Hermione had injected the poison. They both watched as the poison oozed from Chuckles' body into the wand. Once it disappeared completely, Draco looked at Hermione.

" _Expulso_ ," she told him. "Hold the tip of the wand in the bottle."

Draco did as she said but the wand began to shake as the poison left it. The last drop fell into the bottle before the wand exploded in Draco's hand. He swore and jumped back, nearly knocking over the potion. Hermione managed to grab the potion without it spilling before putting a cork in it and dropping it down a chute. She then rushed to Draco who was still holding his hand.

"Let me see," she instructed and Draco held out his hand to her. There was a small gash on his palm but, aside from the little bit of blood, his hand seemed fine. She quickly healed the gash and placed a quick kiss where the gash had been. She then looked up at Draco who was scowling.

"What?" she asked, looking at him concerned. "Does it still hurt?"

"Just my pride," he grumbled, causing her to grin.

"I told you so?" she said, wrapping her arms around his waist, grinning up at him.

"Get off," he replied gruffly, trying to extricate himself from her arms.

Hermione let go with a laugh. "Come on," she said, standing up on her toes and giving his scowling mouth a kiss. "Let's get some pepper-up potion and try again."

"Why could you do it?" He wanted to know. "You'd never done it before, why could you do it on your first try?"

"I don't know," Hermione replied honestly. "I think because I knew I had to, all of the adrenaline made the spell easy to do."

"Bugger that," Draco said in response.

"Come on," Hermione said, dragging him by the hand. "Let's practice!"

Draco grumbled and followed her as she bounced off, happy she was right and eager to get to work.

* * *

A/N: Practice makes perfect? Review & favorite, only a few chapters left!


	47. Chapter 47

Over the next few weeks, Hermione and Draco worked tirelessly at mastering the spell. The first two weeks they'd done nothing but harmless or helpful potions, and, after successfully performing the spell, moved on to poisons. Hermione somehow managed to procure a number of different poisons which, while it concerned Draco a great deal that his girlfriend had such easy access to serious materials, ended up being for the best due to the fact that the poisons reacted differently to the spell than the harmless/helpful potions had. During the three and a half weeks they spent working with the poisons they had, to Ollivander's dismay, destroyed 16 wands, suffered numerous superficial injuries, broken seven potion bottles, and nearly destroyed Chuckles when they failed to fully remove one poison before injecting him with another. They could now, however, remove any poison or potion from Chuckles with ease and without injury, which meant they were ready to try it on live human subjects, a concept they both tried to ignore and continued to practice.

They also both actively ignored the fact that, in two weeks time, Draco's probation would be finished and he'd no longer be required to work with Hermione. They hadn't spoken about it. Hermione had no idea Draco intended to stay and Draco had no idea Hermione wanted him to stay. The pair had spent nearly all of their time together as they worked on mastering the spell, choosing to spend even their free time with each other. Draco hadn't slept at the Manor in over two months and even had a number of his things in drawers and the closet in Hermione's flat. It had never been a conscious discussion. He'd merely gotten sick of going back and forth through his mother's bedroom and he'd come back from visiting her one day to a portion of the closet cleaned out for him and three empty drawers. They went grocery shopping together and Draco had even learned how to use muggle money and Hermione's mobile. They had, for all intents and purposes, begun a life together, but hadn't spoken about it, both afraid the other would end it when Draco's probation ran out.

But their personal problems weren't the focus of their attention. Over the last week, with the help of Luna, they'd done full body examinations of the patients under the guise of checking for physical strain caused by the after effects. They found the same scar on all of the patients, on the left side of their chests, directly above their hearts. Hermione and Draco were certain that was the port, the exact location where the wand needed to be placed in order to perform the spell, but they had yet to inform any of the patients that the spell existed. Today was the day they would go, room by room, together, to speak to the patients and see if anyone would volunteer. They were both anxious. Hermione was anxious that someone would volunteer and Draco was anxious that someone would not. They had barely spoken as they got ready for the day. Hermione had burned the bacon and Draco had poured pumpkin juice into his cereal (Lucky Charms had become his favorite) instead of milk. They walked out of her flat in silence and made their way out of Hermione's building. Once they were outside, Hermione made sure no one was around and held out her hand. Instead Draco wrapped his arms around her in a hug and she hugged him back.

"We do this together," Hermione told him. "No matter what happens, I love you."

"I love you too," he said quietly. "More than you know."

Unable to think of anything else to say, Hermione apparated them to St. Mungo's. When they arrived in the patient wing, Luna was waiting for them.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione exclaimed, giving her friend a hug. "I thought you were at Azkaban today."

"I shifted my schedule so I could be here," Luna replied. "The nargles were everywhere, I knew I had to come."

Draco raised an eyebrow at her response but didn't say a word when Hermione gave him a look.

"Draco, you look well," Luna said, stepping forward and embracing him.

Draco awkwardly hugged her back.

"My, you're terrible at those," Luna told him airily. "Perhaps you should hug more."

"I'll...work on that," Draco replied uncertainly.

"Are you both ready?" Luna asked. "This is a big day."

"Yes," Hermione told her, looking to Draco for his affirmation.

"Yes, we are," Draco replied.

"Wonderful," Luna replied. "Let's go in."

The three walked into the wing and began, room by room, speaking to the patients. Draco stood outside as Luna and Hermione spoke to Jal Tigers, not wanting to cause him another episode. They finished the first corridor and Draco was feeling nervous and Hermione was relieved.

"It's quite a risk," Luna said, breaking through Draco and Hermione's thoughts. "I'm not surprised they haven't agreed."

"Let's keep going," Hermione replied, looking to avoid an argument with Draco.

The trio went to the right and moved down that corridor, with every room making Draco more nervous and Hermione more relieved. They reached the end of the hallway without a volunteer and turned around. They walked to the other end of the corridor, continuing to receive no's until they reached the last door, Greg Goyle's door. Hermione and Draco both took a breath before walking into the room. Luna chose not to follow and shut the door behind them. Greg was sitting up on the bed reading but when they entered he set down his book.

"Hello Hermione, Draco," he said with a smile. "It's a bit early in the day to check up on me, isn't it?"

"Yes," Hermione said, sliding the chair away from the desk so she could sit. Draco moved so that he was directly next to her. "We have something we want to talk to you about."

Greg looked from Hermione to Draco with concern. "Sounds serious," he answered. "What's going on? The new potion seems to be working really well. I can go almost the full hour without an episode."

"What if we could get rid of the Cruciatus related episodes all together?" Draco asked.

"That would be great," Greg replied, looking curious. "What's the catch?"

"The catch is we haven't ever done this to a live person," Hermione replied. "We believe that there is a part of the Cruciatus curse that remains in your body, that's why you continue to have the effects of the curse even though you aren't actually being hit with it. There's a spell we've found that removes poisons from the body as long as there is a clear entrance for the poison. You have a mark on your chest. We think that's the entrance for the Cruciatus. We would essentially be attempting to pull the remainder of the Cruciatus from your body."

"Waterson?" Greg asked, looking at Draco. Draco nodded in response and Hermione looked confused.

"I've seen the spell done," Greg explained. "It's brutal."

"Yes," Hermione replied. "You'll most likely be in a great deal of pain. We'll be literally ripping the curse from your body. There's also a chance that if we don't perform it correctly, you could die."

"There are risks," Draco chimed in. "But also a huge reward if it works."

"Would you be able to give me something to numb the pain?" Greg asked.

"No," Hermione told him. "We need you to feel everything so we know whether or not the spell is working."

"What if there's nothing left behind?" Greg wanted to know. "What if you're wrong?"

"If there isn't anything left behind, nothing will happen," Draco replied. "The spell only removes what it's created to remove. In this instance, we create it to remove the Cruciatus curse."

"We'll understand if you say no," Hermione told him.

"We also understand if you need time to make the decision," Draco added.

Greg sat in silence for a few minutes before responding. "I'll let you know tomorrow," he said finally. "I need some time to think."

"We'll be back in the morning then," Hermione said gently, rising from the chair and returning it to where it belonged. "But don't feel rushed to make a decision."

Draco moved past Hermione and shook Greg's hand. "See you tomorrow mate," Draco told him.

Draco and Hermione left the room. Hermione explained to Luna what had happened as they walked out of the wing. She hugged her goodbye and, without looking at Draco, walked towards the lifts. Draco nodded to Luna and followed Hermione. They stood in stony silence and, once the lift reached the floor of the lab, Hermione stomped off the lift and into her office. Draco followed and shut the door behind her. She cast a silencing spell before looking at Draco.

"How could you?" she exploded. "How could you do that?"

"How could I what?" Draco shouted back. "How could I give my friend all the facts? How could I tell him that this could significantly alter his life for the better?"

"You pushed him too hard," Hermione said angrily. "He would have said no."

"He was never going to say no," Draco replied just as angry. "You made the surgery sound as horrible as possible to scare him into saying no. I told him the truth, that this could work. Damn it, Hermione, you know it could work!"

"But what if it doesn't?" Hermione asked, dropping into the chair in front of her desk. "Draco, what if it doesn't work and we kill him? Or make it worse? At least if we do the spell on me and something happens I won't feel guilty."

"But I will," Draco told her, crouching down in front of her, taking her hands in his. "I couldn't ever risk your life Hermione. You mean too much to me. My guilt would kill me. Not to mention Potter, She-Potter, and Weasley would too."

"Draco, I'm so afraid he's going to say yes," Hermione said, looking at him with tears in her eyes. "What if he says yes?"

"Then we do it," Draco told her. "We both know this spell inside and out. We know exactly what to do, what it will do, and how to deal with it. Hermione, I believe in us, I believe this will work if we do it to Goyle."

"But not if you do it to me?" she asked.

"No," Draco replied honestly. "I'll be so worried about hurting you or killing you I won't be able to focus on the spell. You can't ask me to do it, not until we're certain it works."

Draco leaned forward and kissed her. "Let's go," Draco said.

"Go?" Hermione replied confused. "We just got here a couple of hours ago."

"If we're here the only thing we're going to think about is Goyle," He reasoned. "And if we practice that spell one more time, I think my head might explode."

"I have to check on the interns," Hermione told him. "I need to tell them about David, see what they've been doing. Flint probably compromised the majority of the research they've done, I'll need them to go back over anything he did."

"We'll go together," Draco replied.

"You don't have to do that," Hermione told him. "It won't take long. I can meet you somewhere in an hour."

"Last time I left you alone here someone kidnapped you," He answered. "I'm not taking any risks."

"Fine," Hermione replied with a small smile. "They should be in their research room. Don't be mean."

Hermione got up from the chair and they walked into the lab area then down the hall to the research room. Linda and Barb sat at separate desks, both with large piles of books surrounding them.

"How's it going?" Hermione asked, laughing when they both jumped.

"It's difficult," Linda admitted. "But we're not giving up."

"Where's David?" Barb wanted to know. "Why haven't we seen him?"

Hermione sat down in David's chair and Draco put his hand on her shoulder. Hermione briefly explained to them what had happened.

"So we've been working with a Death Eater this whole time?" Linda asked, worried. "He's not going to...get us...is he?"

"No," Hermione told her. "He's going to Azkaban."

"That explains why he never helped," Barb chimed in. "We never told you, because we didn't want to get David into trouble, but he never did one ounce of research. The most we could ever get him to do was carry books for us."

"So you're saying he never contributed anything?" Hermione asked, sitting up straight. "Nothing at all?"

"No," Linda replied. "We're sorry we didn't tell you sooner, we just figured he'd start doing work eventually and then we wouldn't have to tell you."

"Then what's on this desk?" Hermione questioned, pointing to the stack of books.

"That's what he kept saying he was going to read," Linda told her. "We've never even looked at those books."

"So what have you found?" Hermione wanted to know.

Linda and Barb briefly explained to her that they had found essentially nothing regarding any spells that were similar to the ones created by Voldemort.

"I'm sorry," Linda said. "We just can't find anything."

"Look through these," Hermione told them, gesturing to the books on David/Flint's desk. "I have a feeling there was a reason he was keeping these from you."

"We will," Barb promised. "After lunch."

Hermione looked down at her watch and realized it was in fact 12:30pm. "I'm going to leave for the day," she told them. "If you need to reach me, owl me."

The interns nodded and left the room. Alone, Hermione stood and held out her hand to Draco. "Let's go have lunch," she told him. "In bed."

Draco grinned in response. "Sounds like a perfect afternoon to me."

They quickly left the hospital and flooed to Hermione's flat where they spent the remainder of the day having lunch in bed.

* * *

A/N: The end is near, the end is near, ahhhhh, the end is near!


	48. Chapter 48

The next morning went exactly the same way the previous morning had and, by the time Draco and Hermione found themselves in front of Greg Goyle's door, they were both nervous wrecks. Hermione put her hand on the door knob but Draco reached out and stopped her. She looked up at him and he pressed his lips to hers, pushing her against the wall, possessively sliding his hands over her body. Her hands fisted his shirt at his chest and she kissed him back with equal vigor. Draco pulled back and stared at her.

"I love you," he said and released her. He then took her hand, and dragged her into the room before she could even respond.

Greg was finishing his potion when they entered. He set aside the empty vial and it vanished.

"Okay," Greg said and Draco and Hermione looked at him.

"What?" Draco replied.

"Okay," Greg repeated. "I want you to do it. I want you to try to remove the curse using the spell."

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked. "There are so many things that could go wrong."

"Draco do you trust Hermione?" Greg questioned, looking at his friend.

Draco nodded. "With my life."

"That's not fair-" Hermione tried to say but Greg cut her off.

"Hermione do you trust Draco?"

She stared at him, fighting with herself for a moment then sighed. "Yes," she said. "With my life."

"Then I'm trusting the two of you with mine," Greg told them. "I'm sure."

"Okay," Hermione replied. "Give us today to get ready, we'll do it tomorrow. We'll most likely have to take you into the magical surgical wing to make sure we have the space and everything we need."

"I understand," Greg told her. "A change of scenery could be fun."

Hermione gave a strangled laugh in response and Draco put his arm around her. "We'll see you tomorrow," Draco said to him. "We'll cure you tomorrow."

"When did you turn into such an optimist?" Greg replied with a laugh. "Been spending too much time with Gryffindors."

Draco flipped him his middle finger and guided Hermione out of the room, Greg's laughter following them out.

In the corridor, Hermione wrapped her arms around Draco, burying her face in his chest. Draco stroked her back, unsure of what made her so upset.

"Do you want to go to your office?" he asked her. She nodded into his chest. Unsure of how to get them there when Hermione seemed to have no intention of letting go of him, he picked her up and carried her out of the room. He ignored looks from other healers as he carried her the entire way to her office. He shut and locked her office door behind him and sat down in her chair with her in his lap.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "We're going to get to try the spell, we're going to heal someone you've been caring for for years, you should be happy."

"I am," Hermione said, leaning back to look at him, her face stained with tears. "But what if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong," Draco told her, kissing her forehead, then her tear stained cheeks, then placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Hermione you can do this, WE can do this."

"You're right," she said, wiping the tears from her eyes and giving him a quick kiss. "We're going to do this, it's going to work, and Greg Goyle is going to be able to lead a better life."

Hermione jumped out of Draco's lap and moved toward the door. "Come on," she said. "We have to practice!"

Draco groaned and made a show of dragging himself out of the chair but secretly, he was proud of her. He admired how quickly she bounced back even after everything she'd been through. She was extraordinary to him, and all his. Hermione took Draco's hand and led him out of the lab to the lifts. He'd snapped her out of it, she thought. Somewhere along the line he'd become a source of strength for her even though he'd once been taught to hate her. He was as extraordinary to her as she was to him. Together they went down to the depths of St. Mungo's, practicing the spell over and over until Draco dragged Hermione from the room hours later. They ate a quick dinner and went to bed, both anxious for the following day.

The next morning Draco awoke alone. He glanced at the muggle clock next to Hermione's bed and the glowing red numbers informed him it was 5:00am. He groaned and dragged himself out of bed. He found Hermione sitting in her living room, pieces of parchment spread out and several open books surrounding her.

"What are you doing?" he asked and Hermione jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Merlin!" she said, grabbing her heart. "You scared me!"

"That doesn't answer my question," he said, walking and sitting on the couch next to her after moving two books.

"I just want to make sure we didn't miss anything," she told him. "This needs to go perfectly."

Knowing there was no changing her mind he pulled a closed book from the floor and opened it. He grabbed a quill and a piece of parchment and settled next to her. He could feel her eyes on him so he looked up. "What?"

"You're not arguing with me," she said in awe. "And you're helping."

"If we argued, I'd lose," he replied with a shrug. "I know you well enough to know I won't change your mind so, I'm helping."

Hermione leaned over her own book and his and kissed him. "Thank you," she said with a smile.

They sat and read for two hours, going over everything they'd already researched. Finally, Hermione closed the last book.

"Do you feel better?" Draco asked.

"A bit," Hermione replied. "We're ready aren't we? I'm ready?"

"We're ready," Draco told her. "You're ready. Besides, it's not like you'll be by yourself. I'll be right there with you even if I won't be the one doing the spell."

Hermione took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay," she said. "I'm ready."

Draco rose from the couch and pulled Hermione up with him. He gave her a quick kiss before he headed to the kitchen and she headed for the shower. He put waffles in the toaster and debated trying to start the bacon but decided against it since the muggle stove contraption with the flames still worried him. A few minutes later the waffles were done and Draco set them on their plates. He heard Hermione get out of the shower a few minutes after that and they switched places, Draco heading into the shower and Hermione coming into the kitchen, dressed in her healer robes. Hermione made the bacon while Draco showered and, once he returned to the kitchen, they ate a quick breakfast, talking amiably about everything other than what was going to happen that day. They finished and Hermione did the dishes with a quick spell. Together they walked out of her flat and flooed to St. Mungo's.

"I need to go make sure everything is ready for the spell," Hermione told him. "Will you get Greg? I'll have Erin come find you when I'm ready for you."

"Of course." Draco gave her a quick kiss and they separated.

Draco made is way to Greg's room and found his friend sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Good morning," Draco greeted him.

"Good morning," Greg replied. "Are you ready?"

"Are you ready is the better question," Draco commented, emphasizing "you".

"I am," Greg replied. "I think this is worth a try. Hermione is brilliant, you're alright, I think this could work for me."

Draco laughed in response. "You're in very good, very capable hands mate," he told him. "Hermione will take good care of you."

"Are you in love with her?" Greg asked seriously.

"Yes," Draco replied. "I love her more than anyone I've ever known."

"She loves you too?"

"Yeah, yeah she does."

"Marry her," Greg told him and Draco looked at his friend in surprise. "Marry her," Greg said again. "Don't you ever, ever let her go. I've never met two people who were better suited. I won't get to marry anyone Draco, you marry the girl you love."

"Woah, woah, woah," Draco replied. "Hermione is going to help you, you're going to be able to live out in the wizarding world, you're going to have a life."

"I love Millicent," Greg said quietly. "I told her two nights ago and she burst into tears, begged me not to let Hermione do this spell. But I have to. So that when it works on me, it can work on her, or, if I die, I died trying to have a better life for both of us."

Draco was rendered completely speechless by his friend. He'd never heard Greg speak so eloquently or even mention Bullstrode. The war really had changed everyone, he mused.

"You're going to be fine," Draco said firmly. "You're going to get to marry...Millicent and hell, I'll be your best man. This will work."

There was a knock on the door then and Erin appeared in the doorway with a magical stretcher.

"Ready to go?" Erin asked with a smile.

"Yes," Greg said, looking at Draco. "I'm ready."

* * *

A/N: Insert the gif from The Office where Michael is running around because "it's happening" and he's yelling for everyone to remain calm. That's how I felt writing these chapters.


	49. Chapter 49

Hermione was waiting nervously in the room. She'd opted for a small, magical surgical room but it gave her just enough space to move around. She had enlarged a potion bottle to the size of a giant pot. She also have four spare wands, good wands, that Ollivander had made for her when she explained to him what she was trying to do. She went over the spell in her head over and over and over. She knew it, she thought. She knew exactly what to do, what to say, and have it be successful. She also had Draco, she thought a smile blooming on her face. He would be there for her if she needed anything. She could do this, she told herself. She could absolutely do this.

As Hermione finished pumping herself up, the door to the room opened and Greg floated in accompanied by Erin and Draco.

"Hi," Hermione said with a smile as the magical stretcher stopped and Greg was moved onto the surgical table. "How are you?"

"About to be a lot better I hope," Greg replied returning her smile.

"Do you need anything else?" Erin asked. "I can stay if you'd like."

"That's alright," Hermione told her then changed her mind. "Actually, stay, just in case we need more of something or need an extra hand. You don't mind running and getting supplies if that's what we need do you?"

"Not at all," Erin answered. "I'm happy to help in any way I can. Just be sure to mention I was #1 supply runner when you publish."

Hermione laughed in response and returned her attention to Greg. She noticed he'd dressed in a muggle t-shirt and pajama pants. "If you want to take off your shirt, we can do this," Hermione told him.

Greg removed his shirt and handed it to Draco. Draco set the shirt aside. Hermione moved to his right side and Draco moved to his left. Hermione picked up a wand and looked at Draco uncertainly.

"I love you," he mouthed and Hermione smiled.

"Greg, I'm going to restrain you so you don't hurt yourself, okay?" Hermione said. "If you feel any pain you can shout or do whatever you need to do. This is going to hurt."

"Okay," Greg replied. "I'm ready."

Hermione waved her wand and restraints spring from the table and wrapped themselves securely around Greg's arms, legs, head, and torso.

"Okay, I'm going to start," Hermione said.

She took a deep breath in then out. She raised the wand and places it against the scan on Greg's chest.

" _Exsugo Cruciatus_."

At her words black smoke began to move from the wound into her wand and Greg began to groan.

"Greg, talk to Draco, what's going on?"

"Hurts," Greg grunted.

"Where?" Draco asked.

"Chest," he managed and groaned again.

"That must mean it's working," Hermione said quickly, focusing her energy on the spell as the smoke began to cause the wand to shake. Hermione quickly expelled the smoke into the giant pot. As soon as she stopped, Greg's groaning stopped as well.

"I'm going to go again," Hermione told Goyle. "Ready?"

Goyle nodded and Hermione repeated the spell, this time pushing more of her magic behind it. Greg again moaned and, before the wand could explode, Hermione ended the spell and expelled the smoke. She repeated this five more times, each time waiting until she could feel the want was going to explode before stopping the spell.

"Greg, tell me how you feel," she requested.

"The same," Goyle replied with a sad smile. "Exactly the same."

Hermione tried again but this time, before cutting of the spell, an idea hit her.

"Draco," Hermione said calmly. "Pick up a wand."

"What?" Draco asked in disbelief.

"Draco, the wand I am holding is going to explode in a minute," She said in the same calm tone. "I don't want to break the stream of the spell. I think breaking the stream of the spell is why it isn't working as effectively as I know it can. This is a strong curse so I think it needs constant pulling. I need you to pick it up."

"Hermione, you can't be serious," Draco replied, looking at her as if she was crazy. "This is your procedure, your research."

"Draco, it's ours," Hermione told him. "We're working together."

"I can't," Draco tried to say but the wand began to crack. "Hermione, I don't think I can do this."

"Pick up the wand!" Hermione and Greg shouted at him at the same time.

Draco grabbed the wand and pointed it at the mark on Greg's chest.

" _Exsugo Cruciatus_."

The black smoke shot into Draco's wand and Hermione stopped the spell with hers. Hermione managed to expel the smoke in a black sludge form and toss the wand away before it exploded.

Draco moved to look up and Hermione snapped at him. "Draco, focus."

He immediately focused on Greg and watched as the smoke continued to pour out of his friend and into the wand.

"Erin," Hermione said, looking away from Greg. "I need you to go to the cadaver basement lab, bring every single wand that's there."

"Absolutely," Erin said and rushed out of the room.

"Hermione," Draco called and she turned her attention back to him in time to see the wand beginning to shake.

She quickly grabbed a wand from the table and held it on the mark. "You need to hold on as long as you can," Hermione told him. "We have to make these wands last until Erin gets back."

"It's only going to be a couple of minutes," Draco told her. "I can...feel the wand filling up."

"Tell me right before it explodes," she instructed then turned to Greg. "Talk to me. What do you feel?"

"Pain in my chest," he gasped out. "The worst I've ever felt."

"Okay, hang in there," she told him.

She thought for a moment and another idea idea formed.

"Hermione, now," Draco snapped. "The wand."

Hermione focused back in and started the spell just as Draco dropped the wand into the large potion bottle. The wand exploded but the contents remained in the bottle. Just then Erin came rushing back in, a large bag in her hands.

"I grabbed them all," she wheezed, out of breath from having run the entire time. "And this better work, the boss is pissed you're using them all."

"It's already working," Hermione said. "Erin, stand next to me."

Erin moved to do what she said.

"I need you to talk to Greg," Hermione instructed. "Get a quick quill, anything he says gets written down."

"Done," Erin replied. She quickly grabbed a quick quill and parchment from a drawer at the far end of the room and returned to Greg's side. She began to speak to him in a low voice and Hermione tuned them out.

"Draco, I have an idea," she said. "I'm going to stop the spell before this wand fills, before it even has a chance to explode. I want you to start BEFORE I stop. I'm going to expel what's here and then, start again, right before you have to stop."

"That means there's probably going to be overlap in our magic, right?" He asked. "Are you sure?"

"We're pulling out wisps of it," Hermione said shaking her head. "It's not enough, we need to do it together."

"Staggered though, right?" Draco asked. "So the stream of the spell never stops."

"Exactly," Hermione replied beaming at him. "Okay, let's do it now, ready?"

"Yes," Draco told her. He placed his wand on the mark and began the spell. Hermione quickly ended hers and emptied the wand. She then moved her wand back to the mark and cast the spell. Greg began to scream as the black sludge they'd only seem expelled began to pour from his body into their wands.

"Greg, talk to Erin," Hermione shouted over his screams.

"Hurts. Everywhere," he screamed. "Feel pulling."

"I need you to hang in there," Hermione shouted. "This means it's working."

Hermione then looked to Draco. "The wands are filling up twice as fast?"

"Yes," he replied. "I can already feel this one straining."

"Take it to the breaking point now," Hermione instructed. "We need to get as much out continuously as possible."

"Okay," Draco replied. "This one has to go."

"Quickly," Hermione told him. "As quickly as you can."

And he did just that. Within seconds he had the wand emptied and, when it didn't explode, back on the mark and began the spell again. When Hermione's wand filled, she did the same. They moved back and forth, Erin speaking quietly to Greg as he screamed in pain, Hermione and Draco using all of their energy to focus on the spell.

"Greg, how do you feel?" Hermione shouted to be heard over his screams.

"I...can't...," he started to say before his eyes rolled back into his head.

"Shit, shit, shit," Draco shouted, nearly allowing the spell to stop. "Hermione, is he dead?"

"Draco, focus!" Hermione shouted back. "Erin, find me a pulse."

Erin quickly checked his vitals and exclaimed, "he's alive! Pulse is strong."

"He just passed out from the pain, Draco," Hermione told him. "We need to keep going."

She looked at him pleadingly as he stared at his unconscious friend. "Draco, I need you," she said quietly.

Draco's eyes snapped to hers and he gave her a nod. "Let's finish this."

After twenty minutes of alternating back and forth between the two of them, Greg began to stir and Hermione noticed something.

"Draco, it's taking longer for the wands to fill up," she said excitedly. "It's weakening."

At that, Greg's eyes fluttered open.

"Mate, tell Erin how you feel," Draco told Greg.

"I think I'm going numb," he said hoarsely. "Less pain, less pulling."

"Good, good," Hermione mumbled.

Then Draco had an idea.

"Use your wand," he said, looking at Hermione with excitement. "Use your own wand."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"We have been using wands that aren't ours," Draco replied. "The strongest magic you can produce comes from your own wand. I don't have mine but you have yours."

Hermione thought for a moment then realized he was right.

"Okay," she said. "After this next one, I'll use mine. I wish we had yours. Or even just a better wand than these practice ones."

"Use mine," Erin volunteered and Draco looked at her in shock.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked her friend. "No one shares wands."

"To save someone's life, you do," Erin replied and held out her wand to Draco. "Use it."

Draco looked at Hermione uncertainly but cry from Greg had him taking it from her hand. He immediately felt the magic in the wand shift, trying to tune to his.

"Draco, your wand is going to explode," Hermione said drawing his attention back. He quickly ended the spell, emptied the wand, then held Erin's wand to the mark. He cast the spell and nearly staggered back as the black sludge came ripping from Greg's chests. Greg began to scream again and Hermione quickly ended her spell, emptied the wand, then started with her own. The black sludge was pouring out of Greg, whipping into their wands at lightening speed. Greg screamed and tried to fight against the restraints.

"He's going to pass out from the pain again," Erin shouted. "You need to give him something."

"We can't," Hermione told her. "We don't know what would happen."

"My wand is full," Draco announced and quickly ended the spell. Greg's screams lessened immediately but Draco started the spell again and they resumed. Hermione then emptied her wand and they went back to pulling the curse from his body. Then all of a sudden, there was a high pitched screech and the black sludge stopped.

"Empty your wand, NOW," Hermione directed and they both did. She looked at Greg, who was covered in sweat and panting.

"Tell me what you feel," Hermione requested.

"I feel…" he started to say then passed out again.

"Granger, what the hell?" Draco asked.

"I think that was it," Hermione said in disbelief. "I think that was all of it. Let's cast it one more time to be sure."

Together they cast the spell but nothing happened. Greg began to bleed from the open mark on his chest and Hermione quickly healed it.

"Did it work?" Erin asked.

"We won't know for sure until he wakes up," Hermione told her. "Can you take him back to his room? I'll call Luna to monitor him."

"No need," Erin replied. "I ran into her when I was getting the wands and she was on her way up there to check on the others since she knew you were here and didn't know how long you would be."

"Great," Hermione replied relieved. "Thank you for helping us."

"My pleasure," Erin answered with smile. "I'll make sure he gets back safely."

Draco handed Erin her wand and Erin levitated Greg out of the room. Alone, Hermione looked around the room and sat on the ground. Draco moved around the table and sat down next to her. She slipped her hand in his and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Do you think it worked?" she asked quietly.

"I think that giant bottle of sludge is a good indication that it did," Draco told her, giving her a kiss on top of her head.

"I guess we'll wait and see how Greg feels when he wakes up," Hermione replied, then she looked up at the clock on the wall. "Merlin it's been hours!"

"Let's get showered and changed," Draco said, rising and pulling her up with him. "Then we can come back and see how he's doing."

"Good idea," Hermione answered smiling at him.

They turned to walk out of the room and the doors flew open and two Aurors Hermione had never seen before came barreling through, wands raised. Hermione and Draco looked at them in surprise.

"Draco Malfoy?" the large one said.

"Yes?" Draco replied.

"You're under arrest for violation of the terms of your rehabilitation," the shorter one shouted. "Illegal use of another wizard's wand. You're coming with us."

* * *

A/N: So I wrote this story about six months ago, at least, so as I was uploading it, I was reading back through it. I forgot I wrote this ending to the chapter so when I read it, I went "for fucks sake, really?" and then I realized I was reading my own story. I guess I just don't like easy endings.


	50. Chapter 50

The two wizards moved toward Draco but Hermione was faster. She whipped out her wand and stepped in front of Draco.

"M'am, get out of the way," the large one said puffing out his chest. "You're interfering with Auror business. We can arrest you for that."

"Don't take another step," Hermione threatened. "Mr. Malfoy has permission to use magic within the restrictions of his work in this program."

"I think she's making that up," the small one said to the large one. "Seems she's got a soft spot for him, perhaps between her legs."

Draco growled and tried to move past Hermione but in the blink of an eye she had the two mens wands in her hand and had them pinned against the wall.

"What did you just say?" she asked menacingly.

"You will be arrested!" the small one squeaked. "Attacking an auror comes with a high penalty!"

Just then the doors flew open again and Harry and Seamus came in wands raised.

"Bloody hell," Harry said, dropping his wand and Seamus did the same. "What are you doing?"

"They came to arrest Draco for using a wand," Hermione said calmly. "When I told them that he was permitted to use magic for his work they raised their wands at me," she tossed them to Harry. "And said I had a soft spot for him, perhaps between my legs."

Harry turned and looked angrily at the two men. "Let them down, Hermione," Harry said calmly and with a flick of her wrist the two men dropped to the ground.

"Hermione?" the large one repeated. "As in Hermione Granger?"

"Oh bugger," the small one said.

"Stand," Harry commanded and the two men slunk to their feet.

"If we could just explain-" the large one started to say but Harry cut him off.

"You two were specifically assigned to Mr. Malfoy because you were supposed to be able to not screw this up," Harry told them. "And yet, here you are, attempting to arrest him in direct violation of not an order from me but an order from the Minister himself allowing Mr. Malfoy to perform magic while working with Ms. Granger."

The small one tried to speak but Harry continued over him. "Additionally, you insulted Ms. Granger, implying that she was less than a professional. That angers me on a personal level as she is one of my best friends in addition to a professional level because Ms. Granger is the only expert in her field. You have caused an embarrassment for the Auror department. Apologize. Now."

"We're sorry, Ms. Granger," the two men mumbled.

Harry cast a look at Draco then looked back at his two men. "Apologize to Mr. Malfoy as well."

Everyone in the room's eyebrows went up at Harry's request.

"But sir-," the large one started and then one look from Harry stopped him.

"We're sorry, Mr. Malfoy," they grumbled.

"Good," Harry said. "Now return to the office, Seamus will be the one to decide what disciplinary action to take."

Seamus grinned as he followed the two men out of the room who were walking with their heads down.

Harry turned to Hermione and Draco. "Are you both alright?"

"We're fine, Harry," Hermione said, giving him a hug. "Thank you."

"How did you know to come?" Draco wanted to know.

"When an auror is attacked it sends an automatic signal to our office," Harry told him. "When Hermione went after the two rookies, Seamus and I happened to be in the office and when I saw it was St. Mungo's, we came immediately."

"How did it go?" Harry asked, eyeing the giant container with the black sludge. "And what the hell is that?"

"That's the Cruciatus in a physical form," Hermione told him. "We won't know until Greg wakes up if it worked."

"We think it did," Draco added, looking at Hermione. "Someone is just a little apprehensive to admit it."

"I just don't want to get anyone's hopes up," Hermione replied giving him a look.

"Let me know what happens," Harry told her, giving her another hug. "I better get back and make sure Seamus doesn't have them doing anything too terrible."

Harry nodded to Malfoy and walked out of the room.

"Let's get out of here," Draco said, grabbing Hermione's hand and leading her out of the room. "Before someone else tries to arrest me or something else happens."

Hermione laughed and followed him out of the room.

Two hours later Hermione and Draco walked into the patient wing, showered, fed, rested, and changed. They walked quickly and stopped outside of Greg's door. Hermione took a breath and Draco opened the door. They walked in and saw Greg, sitting up on his bed, Millicent at his side.

"Hello," Hermione said tentatively.

Millicent's head whipped around and before anyone could react she launched herself at Hermione and wrapped her in a huge hug. Draco looked alarmed and unsure what to do as Millicent squeezed his girlfriend. She let go abruptly and looked at Hermione.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you."

"Uh, you're welcome?" Hermione replied uncertain. Millicent was one of her patients who had always been distant, the hug was a shock.

"How are you feeling?" Draco asked Greg.

"Like I had a curse ripped from my body," Greg said with a chuckle. "But I've been awake for about an hour and a half and I haven't had one episode."

Hermione immediately pulled out her wand and went into healer mode. She grabbed the chart from the wall outside his room then moved next to him on the bed. She asked him a series of questions, all of which Greg answered with positive responses. When she was done, Hermione broke into a huge smile.

"We're going to have to monitor you closely," Hermione told him.

"But…?" Greg asked.

"But it seems that we were able to completely remove the curse from your body," she replied with a grin. "The spell was a success."

Draco felt a wide grin spread across his face and he walked forward and shook Greg's hand. "Welcome back," he said and Greg smiled back at him.

"How long will he stay?" Millicent asked quietly.

"It's still going to be a bit," Hermione told her kindly. "We still have the effects of the other spells to work out but given that the majority of his episodes were from the Cruciatus curse we can at least give him a better quality of life. We also need to make sure it won't come back or anything like that."

"It could come back?" Greg asked, suddenly worried.

"It's highly unlikely," Hermione told him. "We removed every bit of the curse from your body. I just want to be safe."

"So when can you do the spell on me?" Millicent asked.

Hermione looked so caught off guard by her question Draco nearly laughed.

"We'll see how Greg does," Draco said, answering for Hermione. "Then we'll talk about doing it to the rest of the patients."

Millicent seemed satisfied by his answer and moved to sit on the bed with Greg. Hermione still looked shocked and hadn't moved.

"We'll go," Draco said, looking at Hermione. "Let us or Luna know if you need anything."

"Thank you," Greg replied. "Both of you."

Draco led Hermione out of the room and took the chart from her hands and placed it back on the wall.

"Are you alright?" Draco asked, turning Hermione so she was facing him and ran his hands up and down her arms.

"We're going to be able to do the spell on the others," Hermione said, looking up at him with tears streaming down her face. "We're going to be able to do it on all the others."

"I thought that was what you wanted," Draco replied, worried. "Why are you crying?"

"I never thought we'd find a cure," Hermione told him, sniffling. "I never thought I'd be able to give them or give me a life without an episode."

Draco felt his heart swell with love for her. In all the excitement he'd nearly forgotten that curing Greg meant a cure for her as well. He enveloped her in a tight hug and held her as she cried. He whispered that he loved her, that he was proud of her, that he was happy for her. Once she stopped crying, she pulled out of his arms and took his hands in hers.

"I could not have done this without you," she said with a watery smile. "Draco, I'm so proud of the extraordinary man that you've become."

"I couldn't have done that without you," he replied.

"Let's go tell Harry," Hermione said excitedly. "He'll be so thrilled."

"Actually there's something I need to do," Draco told her. "I'll meet you back at your flat later."

"Alright," Hermione answered, puzzled.

They walked out of the wing. Draco gave her a quick kiss before they separated, Hermione to the auror department and Draco, waiting until Hermione was gone, flooed to Malfoy Manor. Inside he walked through the house and found his mother out in the gardens. Her back was to the door so he came up behind her and surprised her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Draco, you scared me half to death!" Narcissa said with her hand over her heart. "Is something the matter? Why are you home?"

"I live here," Draco replied, taking a seat next to her on the long wooden bench she was sitting on.

"Hardly," Narcissa answered. "I can't even remember the last time you spent the night here. You're always with Hermione."

"I need to talk to you about her," Draco told her. "I need to ask you something."

"What is it?" Narcissa asked, looking at her son with concern. "Has something happened?"

"I'm in love with her, mother," Draco told her and watched as his mother teared up and put her hand over her mouth. "I want to marry her but I need to know if you're okay with it."

"Okay with it?" Narcissa replied, removing her hand from her mouth and staring at Draco. "Draco Malfoy marrying that girl would be the second smartest choice you ever made."

"Second smartest?" Draco asked, puzzled. "What was first?"

"Changing your life when you were released from Azkaban," Narcissa told him. "I'm very proud of the man you've become."

"Hermione said something similar earlier," Draco told her with a smile. "So you approve?"

Narcissa opened her mouth to answer but changed her mind. "Jake," she called and the house elf appeared at her side. "Fetch me the white jewelry box from Gringotts."

Jake's eyes went wide. "Yes, mistress!" He disappeared.

"You're sending him to Gringotts?" Draco asked her. "Why?"

"I have something I want to show you," Narcissa told him.

Jake reappeared 20 minutes later and handed the small white box to Narcissa. "Thank you, Jake," she said and Jake disappeared.

She opened the box and took out a smaller, dark green box. She handed it to Draco.

"What is this?" he asked, turning the box over in his hand.

"Open it," Narcissa told him.

Draco opened the box and saw a ring with a ruby and an emerald next to one another together as though they were the ying and yang symbol, surrounded by a circle of diamonds sitting a gold band.

"That's the Black family ring," Narcissa told him. "It hasn't been worn in nearly a hundred years since the line has yet to have a male heir that lived long enough to propose. Perfect isn't it? For you and your Gryffindor."

Draco closed the box and put it in his pocket. He rose and gave his mother a kiss. "Thank you," he told her. "I need to go."

Narcissa took his hand in hers and squeezed. "Good luck," she said.

Draco began to walk away then turned around realizing he'd forgotten something. "We cured Goyle by the way," he called over his shoulder. "I'm sure Hermione will want to cure you next. I'll talk to you later!"

Narcissa sat in shock as she listened to Draco's footsteps fade away. A cure she thought with awe. A cure. With hope in her heart, she rose from the bench and went back into the house, wedding plans flying through her head.

* * *

A/N: Yeeeeeee! I can't believe it, I can't believe it's almost over. One more chapter and then an epilogue left. I'll just want to say a quick thanks to everyone who reviewed, read, followed, and favorited the story. I never imagined this kind of reception and I'm so glad that Erin convinced me to share my story with all of you. Thank you for all your kind words and support, it means so much! :)


	51. Chapter 51

Draco quickly went from his mother to his room where he sent an owl to the Potter house. He poured himself a drink and nearly choked when the drink turned itself to water. Pansy's spell was apparently still in effect, he thought agitated. Fortunately he didn't have to wait long for a response. Not five minutes later his owl reappeared telling him to meet at Hermione's. He flooed to Hermione's flat from his mother's room and found Ginny there waiting for him.

"What do you need?" she asked worried. "Your note made it sound important."

"Not here," Draco replied. "I need to talk to you and Potter. Is she still there?"

"She just left," Ginny told him. "She was going to St. Mungo's for a meeting she'd forgotten about. Let's go outside and we can apparate to my house."

Draco nodded and followed Ginny out of the flat and outside. She held out her arm and he slipped his through hers and she apparated them to the front door of Grimmauld Place. She led Draco inside, calling for Harry as they entered. Harry entered the living room a minute later and looked surprised to see Draco with his wife.

"This was the emergency you had to see to?" Harry asked. "What's Malfoy got to do with anything?"

"He needs to talk to us," Ginny told him and gestured for Draco to sit down.

He sat in a chair and Harry and Ginny sat down together on the couch.

"What is it?" Harry wanted to know.

"I'd like to ask Hermione to marry me," Draco told them, giving Ginny a withering look when she squealed and covered her mouth with her hands. Harry looked torn between amusement at his wife's reaction and concern at Draco's words.

"I want to ask your permission to marry her," Draco said with a clenched jaw. "She considers you family and since her parents are gone and Weasley asked me, it seemed like the right thing to do."

"Never thought I'd see the day," Harry muttered.

"Yes!" Ginny exclaimed jumping to her feet and hugging Draco so hard he was afraid he'd suffocate. "Harry of course says yes!"

Draco gently pushed Ginny away and looked at Harry.

"You're serious?" Harry wanted to know.

"Yes," Draco told him with a hint of anger in his voice.

"You're sure?" Harry asked him.

"Yes," Draco replied steadily.

"Her blood status?" Harry questioned.

"Irrelevant and has been for quite some time otherwise you wouldn't have let me near her in the first place," Draco answered.

Harry looked satisfied with the response and stood. Draco stood as well.

"You have my blessing," Harry said, and Draco felt a wave of relief wash over him. "But you should ask Ron for his permission as well."

"You can't be bloody serious," Draco replied. "Ask Weasley?"

"He asked you," Harry told him. "You should ask him. Hermione considers him as much family as she considers me."

"Fine," Draco grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. "How the hell am I supposed to get there?"

"Our floos are connected," Ginny said happily. "You can floo to Pansy's house directly and then from there you should be able to floo to Hermione's flat."

"Did you lot just pick a day and connect all your bloody floos?" Draco asked, agitated. "I don't think I've ever met a group of people who had such easy access to eachothers homes."

"We're all family," Harry told him with a shrug. "Two of us work for the Ministry and Hermione can get pretty much anything she asks for. It's convenient."

"Welcome to the family," Ginny said with a massive grin that grew even larger when Draco's face changed to horror when it dawned on him his home would be connected to all of theirs.

"I'm going to block the floo," Draco told them and the Potters laughed in response.

"The floo powder is by the fireplace," Harry said, pointing him towards it. "Good luck!"

Draco grumbled under his breath but walked to the fireplace and disappeared in a puff of green smoke a moment later.

"He doesn't actually have to ask Ron you know," Ginny said to her husband. "Ron wouldn't have cared either way."

"I know," Harry replied with a grin. "But I like seeing Malfoy sweat."

Ginny laughed in reply and then heard James begin to cry. With a sigh, the Potters rose and went upstairs to check on their son.

Draco meanwhile found himself in Pansy's home but it didn't seem like there was anyone there.

"Hello?" he called out. "Pansy? Are you here?"

Ron walked into the living room a minute later holding a chicken leg and looked surprised.

"Er, hey Malfoy," he said awkwardly. "Pansy isn't home."

"I came to see you," Draco replied just as awkwardly.

"Me?" Ron asked, taking a bite of the chicken leg. "Why?"

Draco pulled the ring out of his pocket and opened the box. Ron gaped at him, the chicken he'd just bitten falling out of his mouth onto the floor.

"Honestly, Weasley," Draco snapped. "Manners?"

Ron closed his mouth and stared at Draco. "You're serious?"

"Yes, I'm bloody serious," Draco replied. "Do you and Potter plan your stupid questions together?"

"You went to see Harry?" Ron asked, his eyes wide.

"Yes," Draco replied impatiently. "I saw Potter, got Potter's permission, he sent me here to get yours, I'm going to marry your bloody best friend."

The words hung between them for a moment while Ron stared at Draco.

"Okay," Ron answered and Draco looked shocked at his easy answer.

"Okay?" Draco repeated.

"Okay," Ron said again.

Draco stared at Ron for a minute and Ron stared back. Without another word, Draco turned his back and walked into the fireplace. Unsettled by their easy acquiescence to his desire to marry Hermione, Draco flooed to Hermione's flat and found her sitting on the couch, holding a letter in her hand. She looked up when he came through.

"We have to go!" she exclaimed, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him out her front door before he could even ask why.

She quickly dragged him outside and apparated them away. Draco and Hermione landed in front of the entrance to the Ministry of Magic.

"What are we doing here?" Draco asked.

"You were summoned," Hermione said, biting her lip nervously. "By Kingsley. Blaise wrote you as well. He's going to meet us here."

"Why was I summoned?" Draco wanted to know, a sick feeling settling in his stomach.

"I don't know," Hermione said helplessly. "I have no idea."

"Wait," Draco replied, intending to propose to her right there.

"We can't wait, we have to go," Hermione told him and dragged him into the phone booth.

Once inside Hermione moved quickly through the Ministry to Kingsley's office. Once they arrived she didn't bother to knock, simply strode passed his secretary and into the room with Draco jogging behind her trying to catch up. Kingsley sat at his desk with Blaise and Luna in front of him. There were two empty chairs.

"Why was Draco summoned?" Hermione demanded to know.

"Hermione, Mr. Malfoy, please have a seat," Kingsley said, gesturing with his hand to the open chairs.

Hermione thought about responding but Draco touched his hand to her shoulder and guided her to the chair. She sat with a huff and Draco seated himself next to her.

"You wanted to see me Minister?" Draco asked, holding his head high, trying to ignore the weight of the box in his pocket.

Before Kingsley could answer his door flew open again and Harry, Ron, Ginny, Gina, and Pansy all came through. Kingsley raised an eyebrow at the group.

"Blaise wrote us," Harry said. "Just wanted to be here in case we were needed."

Kingsley gestured for them to come in and Harry shut the door behind him. He conjured five chairs and they all sat in a row behind Blaise, Luna, Hermione, and Draco.

"The reason you're here," Kingsley said. "Is you still have two weeks left of your rehabilitation yet Ms. Lovegood believes we should allow you an early release."

All the heads in the room swiveled to Luna. "An early release?" Draco asked. "What do you mean?"

"It means you'd be done," Luna replied. "Done with rehab, you could have your wand back and you can resume your life."

"I brought you here because I wanted to see for myself," Kingsley told him. "I was going to ask you a number of questions but being that you arrived with Ms. Granger and then this lot showed up in some sort of showing of support, I daresay Mr. Malfoy, I'm inclined to believe that you have in fact been rehabilitated."

"He has Kingsley, he-" Hermione started to say but Draco put his hand over hers and stopped her.

"Minister, I would like to apologize for my actions both prior to, during, and after the war," he said. "I have over the last five and a half months seen that I chose to fight for the wrong side but more than that, that my beliefs were unfounded and a number of my actions based on lies that I was told from the time I was a child. I am a different man than I was. "

Kingsley nodded, looking pleased by Draco's speech. "Very well then," he said. "Mr. Malfoy, the final phase is officially complete."

At his words, Draco's wand appeared on his desk. Kingsley picked it up and handed it to Draco. Draco wrapped his hand around the familiar Hawthorn wood and felt as though he was finally whole again.

"Thank you, sir," Draco said, standing and holding out his hand.

Kingsley shook Draco's hand and then looked at the group. "You're all dismissed."

Everyone rose from their chairs but Draco stopped them. "Wait, one minute," Draco shouted and they all stopped. "I have one more thing I'd like to say."

Draco stepped toward Hermione and took her hands in his. She looked at him with a smile and a slightly puzzled look on her face. "Draco?"

"Hermione Jean Granger, I love you," he said. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone and for some reason that I can't even fathom you love me back. You have been my rock over the last few months and you have become the most important person in my life. I don't ever want to be without you."

Hermione's jaw dropped when Draco smoothly slid down to one knee. He released her hands and reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring.

"Will you do me the absolute honor of being my wife?" he asked, looking up at her. Hermione stared down at him, tears in her eyes, her heart full of love for the man in front of her.

"Yes," she said, the tears spilling over as Draco removed the ring from the box and slid it on to her fingers. "Absolutely, yes."

Draco jumped up and scooped her into his arms and kissed her and their friends cheered. Ron and Harry even managed to look happy for Hermione. Kingsley ushered them all from his office and offered his congratulations. In the hallway outside of his office Draco hugged Hermione tightly to his side.

"Let's go home," she whispered in his ear.

They said goodbye to everyone and returned to Hermione's flat. Back in her living room they sat down on her couch.

"You're free," she said with a sad smile. "You don't have to work with me anymore."

"I'd like to stay," Draco replied, looking at her hopefully. "I think we should finish what we started."

Hermione threw her arms around his neck, knocking him onto his back. "I was hoping you'd say that," she said in his ear.

Draco wrapped his arms around her back and held her close. A few minutes later, Draco sat up and shifted Hermione so she was in his arms. He stood and shifted her so she could wrap her arms around his neck. Hermione held up her hand and smiled as the light glinted off her ring.

"I love you," she said, pressing her lips to Draco. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I love you too," he replied, kissing her back.

It wasn't the final phase that had ended, Draco realized as he looked at Hermione and she beamed back at him. It was the first of many, he thought. And it was just beginning.

* * *

A/N: I'm going to post the epilogue in a minute but that's it. That's the end of my story. I just want to say thank you again and hope that, now that it's done, even more people will get to enjoy my story.


	52. Chapter 52

She was going to be late.

Shit, Hermione thought as she flew through the door of her office, slamming it behind her. She had 2 minutes to get to the wedding and she wasn't dressed. With a wave of her wand Hermione darkened the windows in the room and quickly stripped off her robes. There was a knock at her door and, before she could answer, her husband strode through the door, quickly shutting it behind him when he realized his wife was mostly naked. He wore a black muggle tuxedo and grinned at his wife. He moved quickly across the room and, before she could pull on her dress, pulled her into his arms and gave her a searing kiss. He slid his hands over her stomach, the smallest bump beginning to show.

"We're going to be late," Hermione said, half heartedly pushing Draco away. "I don't think Pansy would forgive her bridesmaid for not showing up on time. She's already angry that Greg and Millicent can't make it to the wedding since they're off on vacation with their kids in Greece or something."

"Gina and Blaise are already there, Erin and Theo too. I'm sure my mother is smothering her to death. She'll be fine. Besides, they've already waited this long to get married," Draco pointed out, sliding his hand between Hermione's legs. "What's another hour?"

Hermione pushed his hand away again and this time, gave him a shove. "You know perfectly well they waited so Pansy could take that photography job in Italy," she said. "And after they moved back, they waited so she could have Rose. Then they postponed since Ginny happened to have Albus the day before the wedding."

"So what you're saying is they can wait a bit longer," Draco smirked, moving toward her again. "Maybe the Potters will have another kid today and it'll be postponed again. James and Albus would love another sibling."

Hermione grabbed her wand from the desk and pointed it at him. "Don't make me hex you," she threatened. "Ron and Pansy are getting married today and we are going to be there ON TIME."

Draco backed away, palms in the air in retreat, and moved to sit on the couch in her office. He looked around the room with a smile. This office was a far cry from the office she'd had at St. Mungo's. As Hermione pulled on the dress, Draco thought of everything they'd accomplished since his probation had ended three years before. He and Hermione had gotten married a year later and he unconsciously twisted his ring on his finger. He didn't even notice it was there anymore. It was a part of him, he thought, just like she was.

He'd managed to take the family business and turn it into the most successful private potions corporation in the wizarding world. After they had successfully treated all of the patients in the patient wing, Hermione had left St. Mungo's and now led the research teams which did a variety of work with spell damage and the after effects of all dark curses. Draco occasionally stepped in to the lab when she asked but found himself more at home behind a desk, working out deals and balancing the financials. They'd made a great deal of money, he mused, but he knew that wasn't what mattered to his wife. Hermione had found them a gorgeous house near the Potter house and they'd moved in just last year and, grudgingly, Draco had allowed the floo to be connected to the Potters, the Weasleys, and the Zabinis.

Draco's eyes returned to his wife who was standing in front of the window she'd charmed to be a mirror and felt his heart warm. The Mudblood scar on her arm remained but had faded after Draco had performed the spell on her himself. She no longer had episodes and, even after being kidnapped those years before, seemed completely fine. Flint remained in jail and neither of them ever gave him more than a passing thought. He'd be out of jail in a few years, they both knew, but they had no reason to worry about it now.

Hermione turned and caught Draco staring at her and smiled at him. She was more in love with him now than she had been when they married, she thought as she looked at him. He'd become an extraordinary man, husband, and she had no doubt he'd been an amazing father.

Draco smiled back at her. No matter what they'd accomplished, she was still the most important thing in his life. They, he realized, thinking of his unborn son (it was obviously going to be a boy). He would love both of them for the rest of his life.

"How do I look?" she asked, twirling once so Draco could fully see the dark green and silver dress.

"You're the most beautiful woman in the world," Draco replied, rising from the couch and holding out his hand.

Hermione crossed to him and slipped her hand in his. "I love you," she said, placing a quick kiss on his lips.

"I love you too," he replied. "Let's go see Pansy marry that wanker you call a best friend."

Hermione hit his shoulder lightly but laughed. "Let's go."

Together they walked out of Malfoy Enterprises and apparated to the wedding, excited to watch their friends begin their own new phase of their life.

* * *

A/N: It's over. I can't believe it's over. Thank you so much to everyone who's read this, taken time to review, and even taken the time to send me really kind private messages. I hope you enjoyed The Final Phase, I certainly enjoyed sharing it with you. xo G


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